A police bodyguard shot and wounded two suspected robbers who attempted to attack the residence of a Court of Appeal judge in Kumasi late on Tuesday, police said.

The suspects, identified as Patrick Alor, 23, and Akwasi Gyamfi, 21, were shot in the legs after they allegedly tried to disarm the officer during an attempted arrest, according to a statement from the Ghana Police Service.

Police said the incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on 3 March, when the two men scaled the fence of the judge’s residence armed with cutlasses and a pair of scissors and attempted to force open the judge’s private vehicle.

“The suspects were detected by the bodyguard on duty and resisted arrest, attempting to disarm the officer,” the police statement said. “Acting in self-defence and in line with police operational procedures, the officer discharged his firearm.”

Both men were taken under police guard to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, where they are receiving treatment and are reported to be in stable condition.

The Ashanti Regional Police Command praised the officer’s “vigilance, professionalism and bravery,” saying the swift response prevented what could have been a serious attack on a member of the judiciary.

Police reiterated their commitment to protecting judges and the wider public and urged residents to report suspicious activity to the nearest police station.