Two suspected notorious armed robbers yesterday died in a fierce shootout with a team from the Greater Accra Regional Police Command at Mankessim in the Central Region.

The deceased have been identified as Nathan Kwaku Baidoo alias Kingkong and Isaac Addo Mensah alias Almera.

Both were on bail for previous criminal acts one of which claimed the life of a police officer L/Cpl Akata at New Bortianor Junction in Accra.

The operational team from the Greater Accra Regional Command led by DSP/Mr. Oti Prempeh during routine patrol yesterday had word that two vehicles – a Toyota Corolla and Toyota Fish – had been stolen and being driven towards the Kasoa-Cape Coast direction by the suspects and therefore pursued them.

When the suspects realized they were being pursued they started firing at the cops and upon reaching a spot near the Engene Filling Station at Mankessim, they abandoned the cars and took to their heels as they fired sporadically.

The police officers returned fire killing two of them on the spot as one of them fled into the nearby bush with gunshot wounds.

The deceased have been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue for autopsy and the impounded vehicles parked at the Greater Accra Regional Police Headquarters in Accra as investigations continue.

According to the police, the two deceased persons (Kingkong and Almera) were among 13 others who confronted a Police SWAT Unit in a shootout on 16th January 2015 at New Bortianor Junction in Accra, which led to the shooting and killing of L/Cpl Akata.

Almera and 12 others were arrested whilst Kingkong managed to escape. Almera and his accomplices were arraigned and later released on bail.

Kingkong was arrested in 2017 and put before the District Court for murder but was later released on bail early last month.

Almera, after his bail, engaged in three separate robberies in Accra Metropolis. The cases are pending before court and another one in Techiman, Daily Guide has gathered from a police source.

DGN