Former sgt and accomplice to robbery arrested

A former sergeant has been arrested on grounds of acting as an accomplice to a robbery in Batibo, Momo Division after breaking into the Community Credit Company PLC (CCC PLC) on the night of Wednesday breaking Thursday July 17.

The two culprits, presently under custody include one Meba Meba Aime Stephane a sergeant in the national army and Lukong Bernard Ngah identified by his ID as a driver in Douala. Other members of the gang are still at large.

Both men were arrested thanks to the swift collaboration of police, security guards, the judicial department Batibo and Bali as well as some commercial motorcycle riders.

The robbers reportedly gained access into the bank with the use of heavy lifting levers, bolt cutters and a pressure bar machine. They were said to have tied the window to their car and applied breaks to force it out of place. They were spotted by the night watchman of the bank who was in a secluded part of the compound, and the night watchman of another bank situated across the road. They alerted CCC officials who also alerted the state council of Batibo.

The robbers successfully made away with an undisclosed amount of money before police arrived. The State council for Batibo was informed; he alerted his colleague in Bali who called the president of the Commercial Bikes in Bali. He immediately organised a team at about 3 am who pursued and caught the culprits speeding off in a Toyota Rav4 with only the chaisis number.

The robbers reportedly made a u-turn and headed back towards Batibo when they realized that they were being pursued by the police from Batibo. Unfortunately, they came to a dead end and were forced to abandon their vehicle and flee on foot.

Back in Batibo, some residents noticed the strange behavior of Meba Meba and Lukong and immediately approached them as they tried to board one of the cars they had used in the operation. The two were apprehended and transferred to the police Brigade at Batibo. The sum of 2.5 million was recovered from the two.

A huge crowd soon gathered in an attempt to lynch the detained bandits. The Rapid Intervention Battalion of the Army (BIR) was called in but could not control the crowd. More reinforcement were brought in from the Legion in Bamenda. The two have been transferred to Bamenda where they are assisting the police to track the accomplices who have escaped.