Koala speaks on armed robbery attack on staff

stacey

January 11, 2016 9:02 AM

A statement by Koala Supermarket’s marketing and public relations officer Christal Beeko, said the supermarket was “deeply saddened”

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The workplace of the woman who was shot by armed robbers in Accra on Saturday says it is supporting her through her treatment and disputes information on the incident circulating on social media.

A statement by Koala Supermarket’s marketing and public relations officer Christal Beeko, said the supermarket was “deeply saddened” by the robbery incident which left its long term staff member Lydia Horsu wounded in hospital.

The statement said Horsu is an assistant administrator and was assigned to run routine checks on the Osu and Cantonment shops. It said administrators are required to visit the shops regularly to interact with managers and staff and to collect receipts for reconciliation and “in no way involves collection of money and its deposit to the bank.”

Koala said ideally, administrators are assigned company vehicles to help with such shop checks “however on this occasion, Lydia’s assigned vehicle was unavailable and she was inclined to go with a regular cab whose cost is shouldered by Koala Supermarket.”

Horsu had visited the Osu branch for an assessment and continued to the Cantonment branch. When she was done at Cantonments, she decided to walk down to the roundabout by the American Embassy to get a taxi before returning to her office at Airport, on her way to the roundabout, she was attacked by three motorists near the American Embassy.

She was asked for her bag which contained her money and was shot twice in the leg. A random taxi driver came to her aid, running over two of her assailants leading to their arrest. Lydia is currently on admission and is responding to treatment, Beeko said.

“Koala Supermarket would like to state clearly, that its employees are never sent to the bank with plastic bags to deposit money in the manner described on social media. The supermarket employs unique and safe mechanism which to the best of our abilities does not put the lives of our employees at risk.”

Beeko said management was grateful those who helped the staff member, including the ““heroic taxi driver, who risked his life to help Lydia and to stop her assailants from inflicting further harm. He will be rewarded for his heroism. Management is grateful to the Ghana Police Service for the swift response and for their investigations aimed at bringing these perpetrators to book.”

She said the business was working to assist and support Horsu through her treatment and recovery.

stacey