Accra records decline in crime rates

Page 23: Daily Graphic, January 15, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Accra Regional Police Command recorded a drastic decline in crime cases last year registering 17,401 as against 29,951 in 2007.
There was a decline in all criminal cases in 2008 as compared to the figures of 2007.
While there were 304 robbery cases in 2008 made up of 84 street robberies, 131 car snatching, 62 residential and 27 workplace robberies, the police recorded 325 robbery cases in 2007 made up of 72 street, 146 car snatching, 65 residential and 42 work place robberies.
With regard to serious crimes, the police recorded 11 murder cases, 3,823 fraud and 13,263 theft cases in 2008 against 61 murder, 6,863 fraud and 22,702 theft cases in 2007.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP James Oppong-Buanuh, who announced this at a press conference in Accra yesterday, explained that the arrest of some suspected hardened criminals and the increase in police vehicle patrols contributed to the decline.
He named some of the hardened criminals arrested as Isaac Darko Wellington alias Nii Darko, Tunde Abass, alias Shako, Ishmael Tagoe, alias Nii Addy, alias Sugar, Albert Abbey and Nii Armah Burger, who were all in one gang.
Others, he said, were Francis Nsor Nyaaba, alias Sheriff Osman, Isaac Essel, alias Sumaila Mohammed, alias Atiyaa, Ernest Atiogbe, alias Dada Toro, Yahaya Alhassan, alias Zukiya, and Nii Quaye Nai, alias Abdallah Malik.
The rest include Dickson Quansah, alias Fiifi, Daniel Oko Ocran, alias Mechanti Yasmini Yaw Mohammed, Razak Abdul-Rahman, alias Obollo, Paul Onyeka and Cletus Chidi Ndukwe, alias Chidi Emeduka, alias Kofi Asare Patrick.
DCOP Oppong-Buanuh said most of the suspects were either on remand or had been jailed.
He noted that most of the robberies were being committed in sprawling communities within the Accra region as the criminals took advantage of the non-availability of police presence to commit those crimes.
He was hopeful that if the region was rezoned to create more zones and vehicles provided, it would increase police presence all over the region to deter robbers from carrying out their activities.
DCOP Oppong-Buanuh, however, advised car owners to investigate the background of drivers they gave their vehicles to, especially commercial vehicles, while the owners themselves should take their personal and car security issues seriously.
He commended the military and members of the public for their continuous support to the police in fighting crime.
The Deputy Accra Regional Commander, ACP Bright Oduro, said the police were currently looking for four suspects whose names he gave only as Rahman, Hamidu, Bashiru and Obonde.
He said swift reportage of crimes to the police facilitates an immediate response and cited the snatching of a VW Touareg the previous night and said the vehicle was intercepted in the Volta Region early yesterday morning because the victim called the police soon after the robbery.