Page 31: Daily Graphic, July 7, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Tesano District Police have arrested a member of a three-man gang that had been terrorising motorists and pedestrians in and around Abeka Lapaz and robbing them of their personal effects.
Ebenezer Agyapong was arrested after he and two others attacked a ‘trotro’ driver and robbed him of his mobile phone.
The two others — identified only as Eric, alias Shamo, and Tawiah, alias Empire — are currently at large.
The Tesano District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Theodore Hlormenu, told the Daily Graphic that at about 3 a.m. on June 23, 2009, the driver, Mr Kwabena Annor, was waiting at the Apostolic Church Junction at Lapaz for his mate.
He said Agyapong emerged with Eric and Tawiah from the dark wielding machetes and cudgels.
According to him, they attacked the driver and demanded money and his mobile phone from him.
ASP Hlormenu said the driver, however, told Agyapong and his accomplices that he was yet to start work and did not have any money on him.
Based on that, he said, the suspects took away the driver’s mobile phone and left.
He said the Tesano Police launched investigations into the incident as soon as the driver made a report to them.
ASP Hlormenu said it was in the course of the investigations that Agyapong was arrested the same day.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Incestuous father jailed 5 years* FIDA says sentence too lenient
Front Page: Daily Graphic, July 4, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE man who fathered five children with his own daughter, Anthony Roland Sampson Bleworda, has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for incest.
But a member of the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ms Ursla Owusu, says the five-year sentence is too lenient to serve as a deterrent to others.
Reacting to the sentence on various radio programmes later, Ms Owusu suggested that the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) should appeal against the sentence.
Other legal opinions, however, held that the sentence was within the three to 25 years prescribed by the law of the country for such culprits.
The 28-year-old victim in the case is currently being catered for by a non-governmental organisation, while the two daughters she had with her father are being kept at a shelter in Accra.
The other three children (all males) are deceased.
The Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Justice C. A. Wilson, found Bleworda guilty on the incestuous charges preferred against him by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service.
The Daily Graphic in its September 30, 2008 edition published the bizarre story of Bleworda, a self-proclaimed prophet of the ‘I am-I am’ Nazareth Church, who allegedly fathered five children with his own daughter.
Three of the five children, who were all males, died under mysterious circumstances and were buried secretly after the suspect, Bleworda, 52, had performed some occultic rituals.
The daughter “wife” was hospitalised for treatment and counselling while their two female children were sent to a shelter for rehabilitation.
The facts of the case were that neighbours of Bleworda saw the “couple” naked in their yard with the man running after the woman.
The Public Affairs Officer of DOVVSU, Chief Inspector Irene Oppong, said the couple later dragged their two little daughters into their room and locked themselves inside.
She said some of the onlookers, sensing danger that something could be happening to the family, broke into the room and rescued the two children and their mother to the premises of Christ Miracle Power Mission International at New Ashongman, on suspecting that the woman was mentally disturbed.
According to Chief Inspector Oppong, some of the neighbours later handed over the suspect to the police for investigation.
She said the woman, on September 26, 2008, openly confessed to being the biological daughter of Bleworda.
Chief Inspector Oppong said investigations had revealed that the suspect, an ex-soldier, left Ghana in 1986 for Germany at a time the daughter was only six years old.
According to her, the victim was staying with her aunt at Teshie Camp and joined her father for about a month before he (suspect) returned to Germany again.
Chief Inspector Oppong said the suspect developed interest in his daughter on seeing her and often allegedly laced drinks and food with Indian hemp for her.
She said the suspect would then sexually abuse the victim, something which she said took place for the one-month duration that she stayed with her father.
Upon returning to her aunt, she said, it was detected that the victim was pregnant but she failed to disclose the person responsible for the pregnancy.
Chief Inspector Oppong said the suspect returned from Germany the second time and took custody of the daughter to Brekuso in the Eastern Region.
She explained that on his first return in 2002, the suspect was staying at Taifa Burkina before relocating to Brekuso and finally to Kwabenya.
Chief Inspector Oppong said the victim told investigators that she confessed to her mother about what had been going on between her and her father after reading from the Bible that it was a sin for one to sleep with his or her parents or siblings.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE man who fathered five children with his own daughter, Anthony Roland Sampson Bleworda, has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for incest.
But a member of the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ms Ursla Owusu, says the five-year sentence is too lenient to serve as a deterrent to others.
Reacting to the sentence on various radio programmes later, Ms Owusu suggested that the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) should appeal against the sentence.
Other legal opinions, however, held that the sentence was within the three to 25 years prescribed by the law of the country for such culprits.
The 28-year-old victim in the case is currently being catered for by a non-governmental organisation, while the two daughters she had with her father are being kept at a shelter in Accra.
The other three children (all males) are deceased.
The Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Justice C. A. Wilson, found Bleworda guilty on the incestuous charges preferred against him by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service.
The Daily Graphic in its September 30, 2008 edition published the bizarre story of Bleworda, a self-proclaimed prophet of the ‘I am-I am’ Nazareth Church, who allegedly fathered five children with his own daughter.
Three of the five children, who were all males, died under mysterious circumstances and were buried secretly after the suspect, Bleworda, 52, had performed some occultic rituals.
The daughter “wife” was hospitalised for treatment and counselling while their two female children were sent to a shelter for rehabilitation.
The facts of the case were that neighbours of Bleworda saw the “couple” naked in their yard with the man running after the woman.
The Public Affairs Officer of DOVVSU, Chief Inspector Irene Oppong, said the couple later dragged their two little daughters into their room and locked themselves inside.
She said some of the onlookers, sensing danger that something could be happening to the family, broke into the room and rescued the two children and their mother to the premises of Christ Miracle Power Mission International at New Ashongman, on suspecting that the woman was mentally disturbed.
According to Chief Inspector Oppong, some of the neighbours later handed over the suspect to the police for investigation.
She said the woman, on September 26, 2008, openly confessed to being the biological daughter of Bleworda.
Chief Inspector Oppong said investigations had revealed that the suspect, an ex-soldier, left Ghana in 1986 for Germany at a time the daughter was only six years old.
According to her, the victim was staying with her aunt at Teshie Camp and joined her father for about a month before he (suspect) returned to Germany again.
Chief Inspector Oppong said the suspect developed interest in his daughter on seeing her and often allegedly laced drinks and food with Indian hemp for her.
She said the suspect would then sexually abuse the victim, something which she said took place for the one-month duration that she stayed with her father.
Upon returning to her aunt, she said, it was detected that the victim was pregnant but she failed to disclose the person responsible for the pregnancy.
Chief Inspector Oppong said the suspect returned from Germany the second time and took custody of the daughter to Brekuso in the Eastern Region.
She explained that on his first return in 2002, the suspect was staying at Taifa Burkina before relocating to Brekuso and finally to Kwabenya.
Chief Inspector Oppong said the victim told investigators that she confessed to her mother about what had been going on between her and her father after reading from the Bible that it was a sin for one to sleep with his or her parents or siblings.
2 Kidnappers nabbed
Page 20: Daily Graphic, July 4, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO members of a gang that kidnapped two men on Thursday have been arrested by the police.
The suspects, Edward Sena Kabutey, 28, who claims to be the Marketing Manager of Beta Solutions, and Osman Ibrahim, 21, unemployed, allegedly demanded GH¢7,000 from the parents of one of the victims.
Kabutey allegedly used his wife, Beatrice Akuffo, to lure Mr Dickson Anane, 22, at the InterContinental Bank at Osu, where Anane, who was then in the company of his friend, Mr Festus Botchway, 22, forced them into a private car and took them to Fadama at about 12 noon till 10p.m. when they were rescued.
Three others are said to be at large but Kabutey claims he did not kidnap them.
The victims were allegedly beaten, at an uncompleted building at Fadama, while their captors waiting for the ransom money.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga, told newsmen in Accra that at about 7p.m. on Thursday, four persons reported to the Police Headquarters Information Room that their relatives had been kidnapped.
According to her, the complainants indicated that the kidnappers were demanding GH¢7,000 or “their relative would be dead meat”.
She said a team of policemen were despatched to the Fadama Cluster of Schools park where the kidnappers had agreed to pick up the ransom.
DCOP Atinga said when the team got to the scene, Ibrahim was waiting for the money and was accordingly arrested.
She said Kabutey, who was suspected to be close by, drove away and was pursued by the team.
She said the team pursued Kabutey to the Kaneshie Police Station where he (suspect) claimed he was going to lodge a complaint of fraud against Anane.
Kabutey, however, said Anane defrauded him in South Africa for which Anane was being sought after by the police in South Africa.
As to why he did not report the matter to the police in Ghana, Kabutey said he decided to report the matter after apprehending Anane.
He claimed that he actually went to the Darkuman Police and the CID Headquarters on Thursday night to lodge complaints but he was driven away.
As to whether he went with the suspect to the various police stations, Kabutey said he left the victims in the care of his friends at Fadama.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO members of a gang that kidnapped two men on Thursday have been arrested by the police.
The suspects, Edward Sena Kabutey, 28, who claims to be the Marketing Manager of Beta Solutions, and Osman Ibrahim, 21, unemployed, allegedly demanded GH¢7,000 from the parents of one of the victims.
Kabutey allegedly used his wife, Beatrice Akuffo, to lure Mr Dickson Anane, 22, at the InterContinental Bank at Osu, where Anane, who was then in the company of his friend, Mr Festus Botchway, 22, forced them into a private car and took them to Fadama at about 12 noon till 10p.m. when they were rescued.
Three others are said to be at large but Kabutey claims he did not kidnap them.
The victims were allegedly beaten, at an uncompleted building at Fadama, while their captors waiting for the ransom money.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga, told newsmen in Accra that at about 7p.m. on Thursday, four persons reported to the Police Headquarters Information Room that their relatives had been kidnapped.
According to her, the complainants indicated that the kidnappers were demanding GH¢7,000 or “their relative would be dead meat”.
She said a team of policemen were despatched to the Fadama Cluster of Schools park where the kidnappers had agreed to pick up the ransom.
DCOP Atinga said when the team got to the scene, Ibrahim was waiting for the money and was accordingly arrested.
She said Kabutey, who was suspected to be close by, drove away and was pursued by the team.
She said the team pursued Kabutey to the Kaneshie Police Station where he (suspect) claimed he was going to lodge a complaint of fraud against Anane.
Kabutey, however, said Anane defrauded him in South Africa for which Anane was being sought after by the police in South Africa.
As to why he did not report the matter to the police in Ghana, Kabutey said he decided to report the matter after apprehending Anane.
He claimed that he actually went to the Darkuman Police and the CID Headquarters on Thursday night to lodge complaints but he was driven away.
As to whether he went with the suspect to the various police stations, Kabutey said he left the victims in the care of his friends at Fadama.
Police arrest 3 armed robbers
Page 21: Daily Graphic, July 4, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
ANOTHER swift response by the police on Friday afternoon led to the arrest of three suspected armed robbers who attacked Atala Limited, dealers in building materials, at Christian Village, near Achimota.
The robbers were pursued to the vicinity of the Dome Railway Lines where they were arrested by the police.
The suspects, Dawuda Salifu, 18, Joseph Mensah, 34, and Michael Aryeetey, 23, are currently in custody at the Police Headquarters.
The two motorbikes the robbers used for the robbery have been impounded.
A pistol and some ammunition were also retrieved from them.
It is also suspected that the occupants of a vehicle that accompanied them in the operation might have taken the money the robbers snatched from a cashier and the one in a trunk in the bullion vehicle.
The Director of Operations, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Richmond Boi-Bi-Boi told the Daily Graphic that the police received the distress call in connection with the robbery at about 2:30p.m.
He said the attention of the patrol teams within the area was drawn to the incident and “they pursued them from different angles” resulting in the arrest.
He said on realising that the police were closing in on them, the armed robbers abandoned their motorbikes and took to their heels.
ACP Boi-Bi-Boi said the police, however, arrested them after a hot chase.
He explained that officials of The Trust Bank had gone to the company to collect sales for the period when the incident happened.
According to him, the robbers hit a cashier of the bank who was then holding a bag containing the money she had collected from the Atala Limited.
ACP Boi-Bi-Boi said the robbers again went to the waiting bullion which had been opened to collect the sales of Atala to be placed in it.
He said the money that the officials had earlier collected from their clients in the bullion and kept in a small trunk was also whisked away.
He said the police was, however, not informed about the vehicle hence their attention was on the robbers on the two motorbikes.
Story: Albert K. Salia
ANOTHER swift response by the police on Friday afternoon led to the arrest of three suspected armed robbers who attacked Atala Limited, dealers in building materials, at Christian Village, near Achimota.
The robbers were pursued to the vicinity of the Dome Railway Lines where they were arrested by the police.
The suspects, Dawuda Salifu, 18, Joseph Mensah, 34, and Michael Aryeetey, 23, are currently in custody at the Police Headquarters.
The two motorbikes the robbers used for the robbery have been impounded.
A pistol and some ammunition were also retrieved from them.
It is also suspected that the occupants of a vehicle that accompanied them in the operation might have taken the money the robbers snatched from a cashier and the one in a trunk in the bullion vehicle.
The Director of Operations, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Richmond Boi-Bi-Boi told the Daily Graphic that the police received the distress call in connection with the robbery at about 2:30p.m.
He said the attention of the patrol teams within the area was drawn to the incident and “they pursued them from different angles” resulting in the arrest.
He said on realising that the police were closing in on them, the armed robbers abandoned their motorbikes and took to their heels.
ACP Boi-Bi-Boi said the police, however, arrested them after a hot chase.
He explained that officials of The Trust Bank had gone to the company to collect sales for the period when the incident happened.
According to him, the robbers hit a cashier of the bank who was then holding a bag containing the money she had collected from the Atala Limited.
ACP Boi-Bi-Boi said the robbers again went to the waiting bullion which had been opened to collect the sales of Atala to be placed in it.
He said the money that the officials had earlier collected from their clients in the bullion and kept in a small trunk was also whisked away.
He said the police was, however, not informed about the vehicle hence their attention was on the robbers on the two motorbikes.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
High port charges affecting business
Page 50: Daily Graphic, July 2, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE high port charges in Ghana have been identified as the major contributory factor to the re-routing of imports meant for the country through the Lome Port.
The other factors are the easy manipulation of the system at the land borders and negligible fees charged at the ports of neighbouring countries.
To compound the problem ,Ghana’s loose borders have facilitated smuggling, high interest rates, depreciation of the cedi against the major foreign currencies and the unpredictable petroleum market.
The Corporate Affairs Manager of the Finatrade Group of Companies, Mr John Awuni, told the Daily Graphic that unless the government, port authorities and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) took drastic measures to stem the tide, more businesses would use the Lome port and resort to illegal activities, a situation, which he noted would let the state lose a lot of revenue.
He explained that besides the ECOWAS and EDIF charges, importers had to pay VAT and NHIL at the ports in Ghana bringing levies alone to about 17 per cent.
That, he said, was apart from other charges such as duties, inspection fees, service charges and fees to the Ghana Shippers Council that importers had to pay.
According to him, the problem would worsen should the government impose 20 per cent levy on rice imports because total levies would rise to about 37 per cent which would result in the relocation of more shipments to the Lome port and its attendant smuggling into the country.
Mr Awuni said the result of such activities was that same products at the market were sold at different prices with those from other ports being sold at lower prices than the products from the Ghanaian ports.
He said smuggling was rampant particularly in the Volta, Western, Brong Ahafo and Ashanti regions.
He said the situation had led to the under-cutting of prices of the smuggled goods particularly rice and canned tomatoes.
According to him, those firms which were still importing their products through the Takoradi and Tema ports suffered the most, as a result most of such firms were re-locating to Lome.
Mr Awuni said there had not been any sustained effort from governments to stop smuggling adding that since genuine business owners did not want to suffer losses, they also had to relocate to Lome where the goods were classified as transit.
He explained that the goods were then reloaded at the land borders where those who used the official entry points paid pittances because they were able to manipulate the system whereas the smugglers used unapproved routes to bring in their commodities without paying anything.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE high port charges in Ghana have been identified as the major contributory factor to the re-routing of imports meant for the country through the Lome Port.
The other factors are the easy manipulation of the system at the land borders and negligible fees charged at the ports of neighbouring countries.
To compound the problem ,Ghana’s loose borders have facilitated smuggling, high interest rates, depreciation of the cedi against the major foreign currencies and the unpredictable petroleum market.
The Corporate Affairs Manager of the Finatrade Group of Companies, Mr John Awuni, told the Daily Graphic that unless the government, port authorities and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) took drastic measures to stem the tide, more businesses would use the Lome port and resort to illegal activities, a situation, which he noted would let the state lose a lot of revenue.
He explained that besides the ECOWAS and EDIF charges, importers had to pay VAT and NHIL at the ports in Ghana bringing levies alone to about 17 per cent.
That, he said, was apart from other charges such as duties, inspection fees, service charges and fees to the Ghana Shippers Council that importers had to pay.
According to him, the problem would worsen should the government impose 20 per cent levy on rice imports because total levies would rise to about 37 per cent which would result in the relocation of more shipments to the Lome port and its attendant smuggling into the country.
Mr Awuni said the result of such activities was that same products at the market were sold at different prices with those from other ports being sold at lower prices than the products from the Ghanaian ports.
He said smuggling was rampant particularly in the Volta, Western, Brong Ahafo and Ashanti regions.
He said the situation had led to the under-cutting of prices of the smuggled goods particularly rice and canned tomatoes.
According to him, those firms which were still importing their products through the Takoradi and Tema ports suffered the most, as a result most of such firms were re-locating to Lome.
Mr Awuni said there had not been any sustained effort from governments to stop smuggling adding that since genuine business owners did not want to suffer losses, they also had to relocate to Lome where the goods were classified as transit.
He explained that the goods were then reloaded at the land borders where those who used the official entry points paid pittances because they were able to manipulate the system whereas the smugglers used unapproved routes to bring in their commodities without paying anything.
Two arrested for robbery
Page 19: Daily Graphic, July 1, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO suspected armed robbers were on Sunday night arrested by the police after they attacked a house at Ashongman Estates in Accra.
The suspects, Joseph Adam, 21, a Nigerian, and Ben Kwame, 22, a Ghanaian, were among five armed robbers who attacked the house at about 7:20pm on Sunday.
Two cartridges were retrieved from Adam when the police pursued him after they were called by a resident of the house.
Three locally manufactured weapons and some bangles were later retrieved from a kiosk of one of the suspects, Sulemana Rauf, at the Konkomba Market.
Sulemana and two others are currently on the run.
The suspects took away £1,000, $1,000 and GH¢2,800 from the house.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rose Bio Atinga, told the Daily Graphic that following the distress call, all patrol teams were notified to be on the lookout.
She said a team that was close to the area pursued the robbers but only Adam was arrested.
She said another team arrested Kwame later.
According to her, the police went to the Konkomba Market on Monday after getting information that the other three suspects were hiding there.
DCOP Atinga said none of suspects was found at the hideout when the police called, but were able to retrieve the locally manufactured weapons and bangles in the kiosk that accommodated them.
She reiterated the need for the public to co-operate with the police by providing timely information on suspected criminal activities within their vicinity.
DCOP Atinga said the police had stepped up their fight against armed robbery and other criminal activities through intelligence operations.
She said the police could only succeed if the public shared information that the police might otherwise not be privy to.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO suspected armed robbers were on Sunday night arrested by the police after they attacked a house at Ashongman Estates in Accra.
The suspects, Joseph Adam, 21, a Nigerian, and Ben Kwame, 22, a Ghanaian, were among five armed robbers who attacked the house at about 7:20pm on Sunday.
Two cartridges were retrieved from Adam when the police pursued him after they were called by a resident of the house.
Three locally manufactured weapons and some bangles were later retrieved from a kiosk of one of the suspects, Sulemana Rauf, at the Konkomba Market.
Sulemana and two others are currently on the run.
The suspects took away £1,000, $1,000 and GH¢2,800 from the house.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rose Bio Atinga, told the Daily Graphic that following the distress call, all patrol teams were notified to be on the lookout.
She said a team that was close to the area pursued the robbers but only Adam was arrested.
She said another team arrested Kwame later.
According to her, the police went to the Konkomba Market on Monday after getting information that the other three suspects were hiding there.
DCOP Atinga said none of suspects was found at the hideout when the police called, but were able to retrieve the locally manufactured weapons and bangles in the kiosk that accommodated them.
She reiterated the need for the public to co-operate with the police by providing timely information on suspected criminal activities within their vicinity.
DCOP Atinga said the police had stepped up their fight against armed robbery and other criminal activities through intelligence operations.
She said the police could only succeed if the public shared information that the police might otherwise not be privy to.
IGP orders transfer of CID personnel
Page 3: Daily Graphic, July 1, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, has ordered the immediate transfer of all personnel of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Accra Regional Police Command.
The IGP has further ordered the Regional Command to audit all robbery dockets in the last two years to ascertain the status of the cases.
It formed part of the exercise by the Police Administration to re-organise the department and inject more professionalism into their work.
Mr Quaye has also asked that a service enquiry be instituted against Detective Lance Corporal, Number 39369, Prince Owiredu Bitihene of the CID Unit for allegedly releasing a hardened criminal on police enquiry bail without due recourse to his superiors.
Bitihene is also to be charged as an accomplice in armed robbery.
Sources close to the Regional Police Command told the Daily Graphic that Bitihene was alleged to have released Rauf Abass on or before June 12, 2009, a day or two after he had been arrested together with two others for attacking the Easy Internet Cafe at Tesano at gunpoint and taking away mobile phones, cash and 11 laptops.
Bitihene allegedly collected GH¢200 from the suspect’s agents after which he released him on police enquiry bail.
The other suspects in the case, Sadat Mohammed and Muntari Adams, are still in custody.
The sources described the conduct of Bitihene, who was the investigator in the case, as “unprofessional and unpardonable”.
Sources close to the Office of the IGP told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the IGP had intelligence report that a suspected armed robber, identified as Rauf Abass, had been released by Bitihene.
The sources said when Bitihene got to know that the release of Rauf had reached the IGP, he went into hiding until June 22, 2009 when he resurfaced in the office.
They said Bitihene was alleged to have collected GH¢200 from the suspect’s agents and released him.
Bitihene, the sources said, was also referred to the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS) for further investigations.
The IGP, the sources said, had given strong indication that he would deal ruthlessly with any misguided policeman or woman and recalled telling the personnel to either change or be blown away by the wind of change in the Ghana Police Service.
The sources said the IGP wanted to assure the public that the Police Administration’s effort to combat crime, particularly armed robbery, would not spare any officer who was found culpable in any way.
“The IGP is also fighting crime from within by dealing with indiscipline, misconduct or complicity of personnel in any form of crime,” they said.
The sources said the IGP, therefore, wanted members of the public to have confidence in the Police Administration to relay any information about suspected criminals to senior police officers or to him personally.
“The IGP is determined to purge the Police Service and needs the co-operation of the public,” they added.
Mr Quaye recently announced between GH¢2,000 and GH¢5,000 reward for informants whose information lead to successful arrest and prosecution of criminals.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, has ordered the immediate transfer of all personnel of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Accra Regional Police Command.
The IGP has further ordered the Regional Command to audit all robbery dockets in the last two years to ascertain the status of the cases.
It formed part of the exercise by the Police Administration to re-organise the department and inject more professionalism into their work.
Mr Quaye has also asked that a service enquiry be instituted against Detective Lance Corporal, Number 39369, Prince Owiredu Bitihene of the CID Unit for allegedly releasing a hardened criminal on police enquiry bail without due recourse to his superiors.
Bitihene is also to be charged as an accomplice in armed robbery.
Sources close to the Regional Police Command told the Daily Graphic that Bitihene was alleged to have released Rauf Abass on or before June 12, 2009, a day or two after he had been arrested together with two others for attacking the Easy Internet Cafe at Tesano at gunpoint and taking away mobile phones, cash and 11 laptops.
Bitihene allegedly collected GH¢200 from the suspect’s agents after which he released him on police enquiry bail.
The other suspects in the case, Sadat Mohammed and Muntari Adams, are still in custody.
The sources described the conduct of Bitihene, who was the investigator in the case, as “unprofessional and unpardonable”.
Sources close to the Office of the IGP told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the IGP had intelligence report that a suspected armed robber, identified as Rauf Abass, had been released by Bitihene.
The sources said when Bitihene got to know that the release of Rauf had reached the IGP, he went into hiding until June 22, 2009 when he resurfaced in the office.
They said Bitihene was alleged to have collected GH¢200 from the suspect’s agents and released him.
Bitihene, the sources said, was also referred to the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS) for further investigations.
The IGP, the sources said, had given strong indication that he would deal ruthlessly with any misguided policeman or woman and recalled telling the personnel to either change or be blown away by the wind of change in the Ghana Police Service.
The sources said the IGP wanted to assure the public that the Police Administration’s effort to combat crime, particularly armed robbery, would not spare any officer who was found culpable in any way.
“The IGP is also fighting crime from within by dealing with indiscipline, misconduct or complicity of personnel in any form of crime,” they said.
The sources said the IGP, therefore, wanted members of the public to have confidence in the Police Administration to relay any information about suspected criminals to senior police officers or to him personally.
“The IGP is determined to purge the Police Service and needs the co-operation of the public,” they added.
Mr Quaye recently announced between GH¢2,000 and GH¢5,000 reward for informants whose information lead to successful arrest and prosecution of criminals.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)