Notorious armed robber shot dead by police in Savannah region

A notorious armed robber known to operate on the Bole-Bamboi-Wa highway has been shot to death by police, Saturday. A planned highway robbery by Hassan Lanya and two other armed robbers was disrupted when the Police Intelligence Directorate at Teselima in the Bole district of the Savannah Region learned about the planned operation.

His two accomplices escaped.They had arrived at Bandankwanta earlier in the day and were preparing to embark on the robbery operation along the Bole-Bamboi highway.

Hassan Lanya, the leader of the three-man robbery, had been on the police wanted list for some time now. A bench warrant had been issued by the Wa Circuit Court for his arrest. He was also being wanted for his involvement in a highway robbery incident at Bandankwanta.

According to the police command in the Savannah Region, the officers tracked Hassan to a house at Teselima, but after detecting that his hideout had been discovered, he attacked the officers tracking him.

Police say his two accomplices joined in the attack, pulling machetes on the officers. In what become a fierce fight between the officers and the gang of three robbers, the police men got the upper hand and shot Hassan. His accomplices escaped.

Although Hassan was rushed to the Wenchi Methodist Hospital for treatment, he was pronounced dead on arrival, according to the police. Hassan Lanya’s body has since been deposited at the mortuary of the same hospital.