Offinso: Notorious robbery suspect “Cross” killed in Police shootout

A major police operation in the Ashanti Region has led to the death of two armed robbery suspects, including the notorious Osman Majid Abdul Sadik, alias “Cross,” who was wanted in connection with a series of robberies and killings in Mankranso and its surrounding areas.

According to the Ashanti South Regional Police Command, intelligence gathered indicated that Cross and members of his gang were hiding in three locations in Offinso, in the Ashanti North Region.

The suspect had been on the police’s radar for his alleged involvement in multiple violent crimes, including the murder of three individuals in Mankranso.

An intelligence-led operation was launched, involving three senior officers and several other personnel. The team, equipped with four vehicles (both branded and unbranded), simultaneously raided the identified hideouts.

At one of the locations in Offinso Anyankaso, officers encountered resistance. Cross reportedly fired a gunshot from inside his room and attempted to flee through the ceiling. Police returned fire tactically, resulting in gunshot injuries to Cross and one other suspect, identified as Abdulai Sadik, aged 20.

A search of the premises uncovered a cache of weapons and items believed to be linked to the gang’s criminal operations including One pump-action gun with six rounds of ammunition, One unmarked pistol, One Smith & Wesson pistol, 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition, Two spent cartridges, One machete.

Other items uncovered included a smock and ash singlet adorned with talismans, Black and brown body armour, a Ghana Card bearing the image of Osman Majid (alias Cross) and cash amounting to GH₵2,680.

During preliminary interrogation before being evacuated, Cross, 25, admitted to his involvement in multiple robberies and confessed to the killing of three people in the Mankranso area.

He also named several accomplices — identified only as Kingkong, Roy, Fii, Raph, Koboo, Ali, and Ike — alleging that some of the gang’s firearms were being held by Kingkong, Koboo, and Ali at a mining site in Manso.

Both injured suspects were transported to the Bekwai Municipal Hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.

Their bodies have since been deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy. The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has launched a full-scale investigation and is actively pursuing the named accomplices, with efforts underway to retrieve the remaining weapons.