Ouagadougou – In early May, a driver and his accomplice committed a violent theft of 170 million FCFA from their employer in Ouagadougou, as reported by the AIB. Their arrest by the Ouagadougou territorial gendarmerie brigade occurred last October, following their investment in various assets.
According to Africa News Agency, the driver had informed his friend about his boss’s habit of keeping large sums of money at home in sector 3 of Ouagadougou. On the morning of May 5, 2023, while the driver took his boss’s daughter and wife to school, his accomplice, under the guise of investigating an arms cache, violently attacked the employer at home.
The gendarmerie detailed that after finding the money, the accomplice knocked out the victim with a hammer. Despite being injured, the boss managed to contact his driver for help to reach the hospital. Later that evening, the two culprits counted the stolen amount, totaling 170 million FCFA, and divided it between themselves.
The gendarmerie revealed that the duo quickly began investing their illicit gains. Their purchases included a villa, a celibaterium, a courtyard under construction, plots of land, and a Mercedes C300 4 MATIC sedan. They also opened two wheeled vehicle shops in Korsimoro and Ouagadougou, stocking 54 mopeds.
Despite their investments, the victim’s complaint filed on May 30, 2023, led to their apprehension in October, with the attacker arrested on October 18 and the driver on October 21, 2023. The charges notified by the Faso Prosecutor at the TGI of Ouaga I include armed assault, willful assault and battery, theft of cash, conspiracy, and usurpation of title.
The national gendarmerie of Burkina Faso urged the public to avoid keeping large sums of money at home, highlighting the potential danger to their lives. They assured that security services are ready to provide assistance both day and night. The gendarmerie also provided toll-free numbers for the National Monitoring and Alert Center (1010), Gendarmerie (16), and Police (17) for reporting any suspicious activities.