They are suspected of involvement in a recent robbery attack at the SGTC Company.

Crime, particularly burglary and armed robbery, have of late risen sharply in Douala with financial institutions targeted on a weekly basis.

On Tuesday, February 28, 2012, a group of suspected robbers was nabbed by Judicial Police after a well coordinated assault at the head office of SGTC where the Director of the petroleum distribution company had kept the day’s income in a safe. It is said that the gang of four, with the complicity of three private security guards who kept vigil at the office, entered the SGTC premises looking so harmless.

Within the twinkle of an eye, the armed robbers accosted the chief executive of the company at about 7 pm and seized his pistol as he tried to fight back. After dragging him to his table, the members of the group emptied the safe, took his cellular telephone and other office valuables before escaping through the narrow detours of the Bali neighbourhood.

Judicial police reportedly mounted a 24-hour manhunt which paid off with two members of the gang arrested the following morning in the neighbourhood. The suspects disclosed the identity of their accomplices who were immediately picked up from various neighbourhoods by the investigators.

The armed robbers, namely; Gassa Houmbi, 41, Hlamma Justin, 35, and the private security guards, Dimbaina Tina Pierre, 36, Hanwa Daniel, 24, as well as Sam Houna, 26, were whisked off from the Judicial Police headquarters in Bonanjo to pre-trial custody on February 28. Meanwhile, other members of the gang are on the run but the police say they have already recovered a pistol, a portion of the money, the telephone and some other booty.