The Ghana Police Service has arrested a suspect in connection with a violent daylight armed robbery in which GH₵7.5 million was stolen from a vehicle transporting proceeds from a gold transaction in Adabraka, Accra, authorities announced Wednesday.
The suspect, identified as Salim Mohammed, also known as Fawata, was apprehended on November 20, 2025, at a hospital in Ashaiman where he had gone to seek medical attention. The arrest, announced by the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department, Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, came after months of intelligence-driven operations and marks what police describe as a significant breakthrough in the case.
The robbery occurred on November 2, 2024, when armed men attacked a vehicle carrying cash from a gold transaction that was being transported to a bank. The assault happened in broad daylight at Adabraka Market, sending shockwaves through one of Accra’s busiest commercial districts.
Preliminary investigations reveal that Mohammed and his accomplices, armed with AK-47 assault rifles, intercepted the victim’s vehicle and fired multiple shots to disperse bystanders. During the attack, the driver of the vehicle sustained injuries, allowing the assailants to escape with the cash. Eyewitnesses reported that approximately four masked and heavily armed men carried out the operation, with some describing how the robbers scattered money in the air to create confusion and keep people away from the scene.
Police say the suspect is currently in custody assisting with investigations. A nationwide manhunt has been launched to apprehend the remaining suspects, while efforts are ongoing to recover the stolen funds. Authorities have appealed to the public to provide any credible information that could help arrest the remaining accomplices, requesting that such information be reported to the nearest police station.
The case highlights persistent security concerns surrounding cash-in-transit operations in Ghana, particularly within sectors handling high-value commodity transactions. The gold trade, a major driver of Ghana’s economy, relies heavily on physical cash movements, creating vulnerabilities that criminal networks have repeatedly exploited.
For businesses operating in the jewellery and precious metals sectors, the incident underscores the urgent need for enhanced security protocols. Industry stakeholders have called for stronger collaboration between commercial enterprises, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies to address gaps in cash-handling practices. Security experts advocate for increased use of secure cash-in-transit services, comprehensive insurance coverage, and accelerated adoption of digital payment alternatives to reduce exposure to violent crime.
The arrest comes during a period of heightened police focus on armed robbery syndicates operating across the Greater Accra region. On the same day police announced the Adabraka robbery arrest, authorities revealed they had also detained five members of a separate armed robbery syndicate involved in street, residential, and workplace robberies across multiple communities including Oyibi, Spintex, East Legon Hills, Ashaiman, and Kasoa.
The gold sector’s growth trajectory makes such security improvements increasingly critical. As investment flows into gold mining and trading operations, the industry faces mounting pressure to modernize security infrastructure and reduce reliance on vulnerable cash-based transaction systems. Financial technology providers have begun offering specialized solutions for the precious metals trade, including real-time tracking systems, secure digital payment platforms, and blockchain-based verification tools designed to reduce both fraud and physical security risks.
For Ghana’s business climate, the successful arrest demonstrates the capacity of intelligence-led policing to tackle sophisticated criminal operations, yet the year-long gap between the robbery and the breakthrough also illustrates the challenges law enforcement faces in preventing such attacks. The case serves as a stark reminder that as Ghana’s gold industry expands, security infrastructure must evolve in parallel to protect both businesses and the broader economy from organized criminal threats.
