The District Magistrate Court at Effia-Kwesimintsim has remanded four suspects into police custody over the alleged murder of a gold dealer during an armed robbery attack at Sankor in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region.
The accused persons, Anepour Yaw Lambert, 21, a farmer, Stephen Kpiemaya, 25, a farmer; Kingsford Marshall, 22, a tricycle rider; and Emmanuel Akyimfi, 19, a tricycle rider, have been charged with murder contrary to Section 46 of Act 29/60.
The four are accused of murdering Edward Yankey on May 30, 2026, at about 7:20 p.m. at Sankor.
Presenting the facts before the court, Inspector Robert Yawson told the court that Edward Yankey Junior, a Level 200 student of the Takoradi Technical University and son of the deceased, occasionally assisted his father at his gold-buying shop located at Sankor.
The prosecution said the deceased, Edward Yankey, was a refined gold buyer, while another victim, Samuel Yankey, worked as a teacher at Aboadi Basic School and also operated a mobile money business at Sankor.
According to police investigations, three armed men wielding weapons suspected to be AK-47 assault rifle, and two pump-action guns stormed the deceased’s gold-buying shop on the evening of May 30.
The armed men reportedly pointed their weapons at Edward Yankey Junior and made away with GH¢200,000 in cash and one pound of refined gold valued at GH¢11,500.
The suspects allegedly proceeded to Samuel Yankey’s mobile money shop which was nearby, where they shot him in the left buttock before robbing him of GH¢36,000 in cash, a Samsung keypad phone containing electronic cash worth GH¢42,000, and a Tecno Camon 19 mobile phone valued at GH¢1,500.
The court heard that Edward Yankey Junior raised an alarm to attract the attention of his father, who was seated at a corridor opposite the shop.
At the heat of the moment, the armed men allegedly opened fire and struck Edward Yankey in the right arm, causing him to collapse.
The prosecution further stated that the suspects moved to another gold-buying shop in the area and fired indiscriminately, damaging the shop’s sliding glass doors before fleeing.
Investigators said suspect Anepour Yaw Lambert brought an unregistered motorbike to the scene and left it running.
After the robbery, the gunmen reportedly escaped on the motorbike towards the Dixcove-Agona Nkwanta road.
A witness who became aware of the robbery reportedly pursued the suspects, forcing them to abandon the motorbike near a bush close to Boakrom Junction before fleeing.
Police subsequently arrested Lambert and Kpiemaya after they allegedly claimed ownership of the abandoned motorbike.
Investigations also led police to a yellow tricycle with registration number M-25-WR 3353, which was found abandoned at the crime scene.
Further investigations linked Kingsford Marshall and Emmanuel Akyimfi to the tricycle after witnesses reported seeing them riding it around the area before and during the robbery.
The prosecution said both Edward Yankey and Samuel Yankey were rushed to the Dixcove Government Hospital for treatment.
However, Edward Yankey was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, while Samuel Yankey remains on admission receiving medical care.
Inspector Robert Yawson prayed the court to remand the accused persons into police custody to allow investigators to complete ongoing investigations into the case.
The court granted the prosecution’s request and remanded the four accused persons into custody pending further investigations.
By Eric Nana Gyetuah
