Former commander of the Ghana Police Service‘s Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), ACP (rtd) Victor Tandoh, has stated that the Accra-Tema Motorway has exceeded its value.
The 19-kilometre highway that links the harbour city Tema to Accra is replete with deep potholes and road markings have been wiped off.
Several attempts by the government to rehabilitate the Accra-Tema Motorway have over the years proven futile.
Attempts to also use foreign contractors to fix the deplorable motorway have failed due to lack of funds.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, May 10, Tandoh said: “It [the expressway] is no more a motorway, it has become an urban road.”“Dual carriage roads provide safety, and it also provides security, because when you are driving on it, the speed limit is quite different from driving on any other roads, but now I am afraid, I don’t know if we can call it motorway,” the former police chief said.“Seriously speaking, the motorway is no longer safe, the speed at which you can drive on the road has reduced because of the deteriorating [nature],” Tandoh said.
The Accra-Tema Motorwayis an essential artery for Ghana’s economy, linking the largest port in the country with the capital city.However, years of neglect and lack of maintenance have left the N1 in a state of disrepair, leading to accidents and traffic congestion.
In line with #SeeSomethingSaySomething and the government’s efforts to urge all Ghanaians to be active “citizens, not spectators”, the #SafeMotorway4All campaign will identify key challenges to the smooth working of the N1 and push for action to address these.Don’t forget to join the campaign by sharing your experiences, appeals and solutions on social media with the hashtag #SafeMotorway4All.
Founder and Leader of Prophetic Hill Chapel, Prophet Nigel Gaisie, has emphasised that he will continue to issue prophecies regardless of the restrictions imposed by the Ghana Police Service.
According to him, despite the restrictions, he has planned to deliver his prophecies during this year’s 31st all-night service and face any consequences that may arise.
Nigel Gaisie added that, with the upcoming elections next year, he will not hold back in delivering his prophetic messages, regardless of the restrictions.
Speaking in a panel discussion on United Showbiz on UTV, he emphasized that this year’s prophecies would be straightforward, reflecting the current state of affairs in Ghana.
He expressed his determination to speak without reservation, even if it meant facing the involvement of law enforcement authorities.
“It was for Ghana (prophecies) but this year I will mention Ghana as it is … you see, it depends on the seasons and the rulers of the country, so, sometimes when you get a king who you need to outsmart, then you have to outsmart the king, and I did linguistics so I am good in playing with words so the contents of my message achieved it’s intended target.
“Next year are there is elections, and so far, I have seen a lot of things that I have written in my diary, which I will say as it is.
“This year we are not going to mince words, we will just say it as it is, let them bring the police, let them bring the soldiers, we will say it, I will say it if God gives me strength and life, I will say it without not mincing words…who is IGP? we prayed for him to become IGP…and all that the directive that they give is because of somebody’s parochial political interest,” he said.
Acknowledging the upcoming elections in his predictions, Gaisie revealed that he had already documented numerous insights in his diary, which he intends to convey without hesitation.
A Police Constable has been fatally shot by an Assistant Police Superintendent.
He was shot dead by an ASP in Bibiani in the Western North Region.
According to reports, the incident happened on Friday evening during a trip from Bibiani to Sefwi Wiawso after an operation.
But the report noted that details of the incident are sketchy however, information gathered from police sources indicate that the ASP engaged the Constable (name withheld) over his behaviour in a heated argument before he was shot.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service says it has commenced investigations into the matter.
The Information Ministry has urged the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to conduct an investigation into the assault of one journalist in Tamale.
In a statement issued by the Ministry, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, unequivocally condemned the act and said such conduct should not be condoned in the country.
“Attacks on journalists should not be countenanced”, the ministry insisted.
It comes on the back of an assault on a presenter with Tamale-based Dagbon-FM, a subsidiary of Class Media,
In a video circulating on social media, the presenter who captured hosting a show live on radio when the programme was suddenly distorted by an ex-NDC Communications Officer who walked in with a ‘macho man’.
Mr Sadiq Abubakari Gariba, was hosting his political talk show in Dagbanli dubbed Panpantua on Class Media’s Dagbon FM when the visibly angry former Deputy Communications Officer, Iddrisu Hardi Pagazaa, stormed into the studio with a macho man to attack him while the programme was broadcast live on Radio and Facebook.
The attack coincidentally happened on World Press Freedom Day when Ghana dropped to 63rd on the Press Freedom Ranking by Reporters Without Borders.
Reacting to the matter, the Ministry in the statement called for “speedy response from law enforcement agencies” to prevent “copy-cat acts and maintain Ghana’s status in upholding press freedom.”
The Ministry further indicated the Minister’s commitment to support the Journalist if he will require any.
Two very alarming videos of some unidentified people acting illegally have surfaced online, demonstrating the level of harm done to some of the nation’s existing railway lines.
The depth of the damage inflicted by the rail lines are shown in the first video, while the second shows a trailer hauling many heavy metals that are ostensibly the railway lines that were cut.
The voice of the person behind the camera in the first video narrates what he was displaying, beginning at a place on a railway line.
The man is heard referring to a certain person called ‘Collabo,’ and goes on to take a long walk along where this railway line is.
While on the walk, the narrator keeps urging the person he is addressing in the video to ensure that he organises people to come and stop the perpetrators of this crime.
He continues to indicate, in the Twi language, that he is certain the persons may return to continue cutting the railway line.
“They have cut this whole place, Collabo. As far as you can see in this video, they have cut off all the metal. Collabo, be aware so that you can return to undertake an operation,” he said.
In the second video, the narrator videoed a truck that had been loaded with metal that looked like railway lines and packed at the edge of the road. The narrator claimed that the goods on that truck form part of the stollen railway lines.
“The train industry that the government has been spending so much o with the hope that it will become a reality is what you can see here, as someone has cut them and given them to a trailer, and being transported to Tema,” the voice said.
It is, however, unclear if these two videos were either shot by the same person or not, if the Ghana Police Service was able to apprehend the perpetrators, or even how recent or not the videos are.
Lance Corporal Lancelot Allotey of the Ghana Police Service graduated from the University of Ghana as the class valedictorian with a 3.82 Final Grade Point Average (FGPA).
After completing the March 2023 congregation’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program, he finished top of his class with a major in music.
Allotey attended the Presbyterian Senior High Technical School in Aburi in the past. He joined the Brass Ensemble of the Department of Music in 2018 when he enrolled at the institution, with a focus on playing the trumpet. He quickly rose to the position of principal trumpet in several performances, departmental concerts, and student musicals.
He is married with two children. Delivering the Valedictory speech on behalf of his colleagues, Lance Corporal Allotey recounted how he was able to combine work and schooling.
“My first few weeks on campus were quite difficult, being both a student and a worker.
After my night duty shift, I had to report to the class the next morning and then back to work in the evening after lectures.
“There were times when I struggled to stay awake during lectures, but as the saying goes, ‘you cannot cheat nature,’” he said.
He further expressed appreciation to the university’s management for giving them an environment conducive for teaching, learning, and research.
Actress Fella Makafuihas allegedly been duped by an employee.
She, however, has sworn to go heaven and beyond to track her employee who is allegedly on the run with her GHS 50,000.
Her employee, who she identified simply as Georgina, allegedly stole the actress’ money and blocked her across all platforms.
Fella Makafui further indicated that she received a call from a man purporting to be a police officer who has issued threats to her for calling her employee out.
“My Employee has stolen my money. My team and I can’t find her anywhere. She has blocked us on all platforms. I only received a call from one man who claimed to be an officer threatening me. Gina, I know you seeing this, kindly send me my 50k. That’s my sweat! [sic],” she tweeted.
Fella Makafui promised to retrieve her money regardless of wherever her employee decides to hide. “I employed you with a kind heart, so my God won’t let you rest.”
The actress, who has suffered a similar fate in the past, said she is not taking the situation lightly this time around, adding that she has made her search for the ‘thief’ her priority.
She has blamed herself for putting too much trust in her employee who reached out to her in search of the job via social media.
Fella Makafui has involved the East Legon police in her quest to locate the employee.
The police are investigating six persons for their alleged involvement in the stealing of fooditems from the stock of the School Feeding Programme at the Atebubu Senior High School in the Bono East Region.
The six persons were arrested following a report to the police by Edward Owusu, the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) on Friday, April 21, 2023.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Owusu said 26 bags of maize, 20 bags of beans, 10 bags of rice, and one gallon of 25-liter cooking oil were retrieved from the suspects.
When contacted, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Elias Denu-Koto, the Atebubu District Police Commander, told the GNA that the Command received a call from the MCE on the alleged theft and proceeded to effect the arrest.
However, the six suspects had since been granted bail, while investigations continued for possible prosecution.
The Ghana Police Service has appears to be gaining public trust with its recent operations, particularly with arrests carried out recently.
Previously, the service had been under public criticism over a number of wrongs and accusations against it.
To a large extent, the public image of the service has been on the negative side of conversations.
They police have been accused of bribery and corruption, extorsion, incompetence and unprofessionalism, among others.
However, in the last few weeks, the police service has made some great strides in their service delivery by making some major arrests within good time.
In this piece, we breakdown some three major arrests made the Ghana Police Service in the last few weeks, which require commendation.
Police confirm arrest of Axim galamsey kingpin, Kwame Ato Ani; three others:
Kwame Ato Asare, alias Kwame Ani was arrested by the police together with three other members of his gang.
He is a notorious illegal miner together with three others who attacked the Axim District Police patrol team on March 9, 2023.
His arrest added to eight, the number of suspects linked to the crime, and who had been arrested at the time.
Kwame Ato Asare and the three other suspects, Williams Kwofie, Richard Kwesi and Emmanuel Kojo Bronie, who were on the police radar, went into hiding following the attack on the patrol team.
They were arrested on April 21, 2023, at a village near Enchi in the Western North Region.
Kwame Ato Asare, while in hiding, made allegations of extortion against the Axim District Police Commander, the Crime Officer and other police officers in the district, through several media interviews, which are currently being investigated by the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB).
Tarkwa gold robbery: Two foreigners and a Ghanaian arrested:
The Tarkwa Police Command confirmed the arrest of three suspects: a Togolese, a Nigerian and a Ghanaian, in connection with the Tarkwa gold robbery that happened on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
The suspects are Samuel Amaeshi, a Togolese, 47 years; Ezekiel Stephen, a Nigerian, 45 years; and Fataw Awudu, a Ghanaian of 42 years.
These three suspects were part of six armed robbers who were wearing face masks and helmets and entered the KK Gold buying agency and subjected victims to severe beatings at gunpoint.
They made away with gold weighing 408.5 grams, worth six hundred and thirteen thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢613,000.00), and an undisclosed amount of money, while on three motorbikes.
Intelligence gathered by the police indicated that the robbers used the Tarkwa Banso, Esuso Bonsawire Road, and so communities within the enclave were informed.
On the evening of Tuesday, April 18, the Police Intelligence Department and a police patrol team, with the assistance of community folks, arrested two suspects: Samuel Amaeshi and Ezekiel Stephen.
A sack containing cash sum of three hundred and ninety-seven thousand, one hundred and ninety cedis (GH¢397,190) and gold that weighs 4.7 grams, were also retrieved.
The Police Intelligence Department, upon intelligence, later arrested Fataw Awudu on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
All three suspects are currently in police custody while the police still makes attempts get the others arrested.
Inspector Ahmed Twumasi arrested – Police confirm:
Inspector Ahmed Twumasi, who shot his girlfriend, Maa Adwoa, 26, at Adum in the Ashanti Region, went into hiding after the incident on Thursday, April 20, 2023
On Sunday, April 23, 2023, however, the Ghana Police Service announced the arrest of the inspector, following an operation launched to track him down.
The operation, according to the police, led to the suspect’s arrest at Sekyere, near Effiduase in the Ashanti Region.
The suspect is currently in police custody after his first appearance in court on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
Twumasi told the court that he shot Maa Adwoa five times over a GH¢5000 debt she owed him and that what happened was between him and God.
A security analyst has accused Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, the Inspector-General of Police, with establishing a team of Ghana Police Service officers known as the “Dampare Boys.”
Emmanuel Mawanye Kotin, who is also the Executive Director of African Center for Security and Counterterrorism, said these special officers do not respect their seniors and do not take orders from any of their line commanders except Dr Akuffo Dampare.
He said the situation has dampened the spirit of many senior officers, leading to disillusionment among the top hierarchy.
Mr Kotin made this known on TV3 on Tuesday, April 25 while speaking about the alleged shooting of a lady, 26, in Adum, Kumasi by an Inspector with a service rifle.
The security analyst said the so-called Dampare Boys are quickly promoted as against the very regimen of the Service.
He disclosed that most of the Dampare Boys have been promoted as Inspectors.
He said the situation should be questioned “whether under the law the IGP has the right to create such a body”.
According to Mr Kotin, senior officers who are against this group of officers have been cowed into silence as “they are afraid to talk”.
He called onParliamentto summon the IGP to answer questions on this breed of officers he is keeping in the Service.
A driver who allegedly defiled a 13-year-old has been granted bail to the tune of of GHS 100,000 with four sureties by the Tarkwa circuit court.
Anthony Cobbina alias Kabi, 41, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement and the case was adjourned to Friday, April 28, 2023.
The prosecutor, Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, told the court presided over by Mrs Hathie Ama Manu that the complainant, is the mother of the victim and both live at Brenuakyim in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality where she operated a drinking bar.
She said Cobbina, who also resides in the same neighbourhood, is a friend and regular customer of the complainant.
In March, last year, the prosecution said the accused started making sexual advances towards the victim who usually assisted the mother in the bar after school.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said in the same month the complainant travelled to Wassa Nkran in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality and left the victim in the care of her aunt.
According to the prosecutor, while she was away, the accused took advantage and fondled the victim’s breasts and buttocks at the bar. The victim who was unhappy threatened to inform the complainant when she returned from her trip, but the accused warned her to remain silent or else he would kill her.
On another occasion, Superintendent Essel-Dadzie informed the court that Cobbina demanded to have sex with the victim in the bar and promise to buy her a mobile phone and laptop, but she resisted.
The accused person, she said became offended, pulled a small knife to stab the victim and assaulted her sexually.
The prosecution said on December 26, last year, the complainant was celebrating her birthday, decided to dine with the family at Classlink Hotel in Tarkwa and therefore invited the accused person to join them.
She further said, while swimming in a pool, Cobbina allegedly inserted his fingers into the victim’s vagina and also forcibly had sexual intercourse with her in the hotel.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the accused person was not satisfied with the sexual advances, in January, this year, went to the complainant’s drinking bar, lured the victim behind a fridge and had sex with her.
The prosecution said the complainant recently detected changes in the victim’s mood and when she confronted her, she said Cobbina had been having sexual intercourse with her.
She said the complainant reported the incident to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Tarkwa and a medical report form was issued to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital.
The victim was examined, and the form was endorsed by a medical officer at the Apinto Government Hospital.
The prosecution said Cobbina was therefore picked up by the police and he admitted the offence in his caution statement.
Ghana Police Service has arrested Inspector Ahmed Twumasi, who is suspected of shooting and killing his girlfriend.
The incident took place on Thursday, April 20, 2023, in Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti Region.
Following the shooting incident, the suspect went into hiding and a special police operation was launched to track him down. The operation according to the police eventually led to the suspect’s arrest on Sunday, April 23, 2023, in Sekyere, near Effiduase in the Ashanti Region.
“The Police have this evening arrested a Police officer, Inspector Ahmed Twumasi, who is alleged to have shot and killed a female adult, who was believed to be his girlfriend. The shooting incident occurred in Kumasi, in the Ashanti region, on Thursday, 20th April 2023.
“The suspect, who has been on the run since the incident, was arrested at Sekyere, near Effiduase in the Ashanti Region as a result of a special Police operation, which was launched following the shooting incident.
The suspect is currently in police custody and will be presented before a court of law to face justice. The Ghana Police Service has assured the public that they are committed to ensuring that justice is served in this case.
A leaked ‘wireless message’ making rounds on social media indicates that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare instructed its regional commanders to ensure that no official of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is allowed into any police facility under their jurisdiction for inspection of electrical connections or any other activity.
A leaked police wireless message shared on Twitter by Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a convener for the #FixTheCountry Movement, which contained that said order, indicated that the order was from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and must be adhered to religiously.
It was also stated in the wireless message that a letter will be given to the ECG indicating when their officers are to visit police facilities for their inspections and other activities.
“INGPOL DIRECTS ALL REGIONAL COMMANDERS SHOULD NOT ALLOW ANY ECG OFFICIALS INTO POLICE FACILITIES WITHIN YOUR JURISDICTIONS
“A TEMPLATE LETTER OF INVITATION TO FORMALLY INVITE ECG OFFICIALS TO UNDERTAKE INSPECTION, REVIEW OF CONNECTIONS, RECTIFICATION OF IRREGULARITIES AND INSTALLATION OF BULK METRES FOLLOWS.
“DIV./DIS/UNIT COMMANDERS SHOULD ENSURE STRICT COMPLIANCE AND REPORT ANY SUCH CASE TO REGIONAL COMMAND IMMEDIATELY FOR REDRESS. TREAT AS URGENT,” parts of the message read.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Mahama, has indicated that the next major exercise, after his outfit’s revenue mobilisation drive, is clamping down on illegal connections in the country.
According to him, the company will be going from house to house and business to business to check for illegal connections and any entity found culpable will face the full rigours of the law, asaaseradio.com reports.
“Those who are involved in illegal connections, we’re giving you one month head start to correct it because I’m not charging you with bypass, I’m charging you with theft, you’ve stolen,” Samuel Mahama is quoted to have said on the Asaase Breakfast Show.
The ECG disconnected power to parts of the Osu Police Barracks because of an illegal connection to the national grid this April.
The task force from the ECG discovered the illegal connections on three blocks of the barracks, which had connected power directly without a meter. The illegal connections were discovered on the ECG’s usual rounds to recover monies owed by customers and disconnected.
The manager in charge of external communications at ECG, Laila Abubakarim, who was part of the team that visited the barracks, said that they had to disconnect power to the three blocks because of the illegality.
“Since it’s an illegal connection, we have the first right to disconnect before we deal with issues. The Ghana police would have to come to ECG where a bill will be generated for them covering a period of 12 months.
“The administration block also owes, but due to security implications, we’ve spared that facility while we discuss further the amount involved. We consider the police accommodation facilities (blocks) a general facility hence the disconnection,” she said.
The Ghana Police Service has established a dedicated legal team to investigate all politically related incidents legally to determine whether there are elements of crime present or not before taking any action.
Consequently, it said the service would not intervene in any situation where there was no criminality involved.
A statement to that effect was released yesterday by the police administration after the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, met with the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over recent happenings on the political front.
“This is a paradigm shift from the practice in the past where people were arrested in the heat of the moment for politically related incidents as a result of attempts by politicians on either side to whip up public sentiments against the police thereby creating the impression that the police supports one side against the other.
“ In such instances when no concrete charges can be levelled against such people, they are eventually released thereby creating the impression in the public domain as though the police were manipulated in effecting their arrests,” the statement said.
It added: “This initiative has been used to analyse all recent cases such as comments made by the Minister of Food and Agriculture and the Constituency Youth Organiser for the NDC at Suame, among others”.
The meeting, which was called at the instance of the IGP, was necessitated by press statements issued by both parties and subsequently followed by petitions to the police service to arrest certain individuals on either side of the political spectrum for some alleged offences.
The NDC petitioned the police service to arrest the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abetifi and Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, for allegedly claiming that the NPP would never hand over power to the NDC.
On the other hand, the NPP, following the NDC’s petition, followed up with a similar petition calling on the police to arrest former President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, over some alleged inflammatory comments they had made in the past.
Updates
The police said they provided an update on the status of political violence and related incidents recorded during the recent internal elections of both parties.
These included the arrest and prosecution of some 14 members of the NPP for disturbances during their constituency election at Enchi and the arrest of nine out of the 16 wanted individuals for disturbances at the national youth and women organiser polls of the NDC in Cape Coast.
“An update was also provided on the status of the 2020 general election-related cases, including Techiman South and Odododiodio constituencies and the public will be duly updated on these cases in the course of the week,” the statement said.
Strategic intervention
Again, the police service said it had established a Police Election Security Secretariat to work with all political parties and other stakeholders to enhance the management of security for all elections in the country.
“This is a complete departure from the old order where an election security task force was put together just some months before the general election.
Since its creation over a year ago, the Police Election Security Secretariat has worked with the various political parties in their respective internal elections from the polling station, through the constituency to the national executive elections,” it stated.
It added that the secretariat was currently working with both parties on their parliamentary and presidential primaries.
Support police
The police statement further indicated that at the meeting, both parties were informed that with the new policing interventions in place, “they should do their politics and allow the police to do their policing.”
“ We, therefore, called on them to support us, including by criticising us constructively to do a professional job in line with our constitutional mandate”.
While commending the leadership of the two political parties for availing themselves and contributing to the success of the meeting, the police service called on Ghanaians to help the service in their effort to build an independent police service which would serve the greater good of the people and not the interest of any individual or group of people.
“Once again, we wish to assure the public that we remain committed to ensuring peace, security, law and order in the country at all times including before, during and after all elections in the country,” the statement said.
A former president,John Dramani Mahama, has urged the Ghana Police Service and other security organizations to always act impartially and without prejudice in the performance of their duty.
Mr. Mahama addressing branch and constituency executives of both Lower West Akyem and Upper West Akyem constituencies at Asamankese to climax his 3-day tour of the Eastern region indicated that the loyalty of security agencies is to the state and not political parties.
He suggested to the security agencies not to support any political party when chaos erupts.
“Security agencies, your loyalty is to the state and not to a political party. You don’t have to support only one political party when chaos erupts. You need to be neutral,” he said.
A total of 544 individuals were killed in various road accidents in the country for the first quarter of 2023.
They were killed in 3,340 road crashes recorded within the same period.
This was contained in road crash statistics gathered by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service.
However, this report indicates a reduction in road accidents compared to the same period in 2022.
According to the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), the reduction is a promising outlook for the country as most road users are adhering to traffic regulations.
Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Region recorded the highest number of crashes, 1,243, among the 16 regions while the Oti Region recorded 15 cases being the least.
A group of irate youth has gone on a rampage to attack a police station at Sefwi Bekwai in the Western North region to demand the release of a motorised tricycle (Pragyia) rider, Kwabena Gyapong, 20, arrested by Police.
The rider reportedly headbutted a police officer to resist a search in the evening while riding to Sefwi Sorano, but was overpowered by the patrol team and sent to the police station.
Upon hearing of the incident, the youth, mostly ‘Pragyia’ riders, mobilized to attack the police station with stones and clubs, damaging a service vehicle. It took the intervention of the reinforcement team amid sporadic warning shots to bring the situation under control.
Two of the irate youths were injured, while four were arrested. The Sefwi Bekwai District Police Command denied the injuries suffered by the victims were gunshots. Nana Gyebi, the father of the suspect Pragyia rider, alleged his son was badly injured, but instead of the police sending him to the hospital, they caged him in the cells.
Mr. Paul Andoh, the Bibiani Ahwianso Bekwai Constituency 1st vice chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on behalf of the MP for the area, Hon Alfred Obeng Boateng, MP, and other opinion leaders in the town, visited the police station to help deescalate the tension.
Six persons in the Kumasi metropolis have been arrested for dealing in fake herbal products.
Their arrest was carried out as a result of a collaboration between the Ashanti Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), in collaboration with the Police.
The swoop, which targeted dealers in unregistered herbal products, formed part of routine market surveillance conducted by the Authority to clamp down on perpetrators.
The culprits, who have all been granted bail pending further investigations, include two community information centre operators and four herbal product dealers.
Mr. John Laryea Odai-Tettey, the Regional Head of FDA, speaking to the media after the exercise, said the Public Health Act, 2012 mandated the FDA to ensure food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemical substances, blood, blood products, and tobacco were wholesome for public consumption.
He said the Authority had the responsibility to ensure the safety and quality and standards of such products as prescribed by the Act.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that products under our regulation and being sold for public consumption and use are registered, and that is why we embark on market surveillance to check the safety of the products,” he noted.
He said beyond the registration of the regulated products, his outfit had the duty to keep an eye on the market to fish out persons producing sub-standard versions of registered products.
“Unfortunately, a lot of people do not go to accredited health facilities to seek healthcare, but rather patronise some of these products without verifying their safety,” he pointed out.
Mr Odai-Tettey said the activities of the perpetrators were inimical to public safety and called on the public to support the FDA to flush out such miscreants for the good of the general population.
He said doors of the FDA were opened to manufacturers of herbal and other regulated products to submit their products for scrutiny to ensure they were safe for public consumption.
He said failure by manufacturers to submit their products for verification amounted to the violation of the Act and cautioned that the FDA would go after such recalcitrant manufacturers in the interest of public health.
He advised the public to patronise products from registered and recognised dealers such as pharmacies and licensed over-the-counter chemical sellers for their own safety.
Wholesalers and retailers of herbal products must also ensure they purchase from licensed manufacturers in order not to be victims of the operations of the FDA, he stated.
Some young men have found themselves in the grips of the police after a brawl with a police officer on highway patrol duties over rat carcass.
It is alleged the policeman, known popularly as ‘Abodwese’, attempted to take the carcass from the band of young men who were returning from hunting activities at Kumawu in the Ashanti Region.
But the young men resisted, resulting in the confrontation.
An eyewitness, Nana Sarpong, who narrated the incident to Luv News, explained that when the young men refused to hand over the dead animal to the officer, he fired a warning shot.
“After firing warning shots, the officer used the butt of the gun to hit one of the men,” he claimed.
A video obtained by Luv News shows one of the men holding the officer by the neck as others tag along.
Two other police officers are heard telling the men to stop the struggle.
They intervened by taking the rifle from their colleague officer.
But the officer continued to be held by his uniform as his colleagues walked away.
The young men have since been arrested by police.
Luv News sources say police at Effiduase have commenced investigations into the matter.
About 1,200 police personnel have been deployed to Kwahu to provide security before, during and after the Kwahu Easter festivities, sources in the Eastern Regional Police Command have confirmed.
The personnel who have been drawn from the Headquarters in Accra, the Ashanti Regional Command are expected to provide both ground and air support to their counterparts from the Eastern regional command to minimize, reduce and possibly prevent crime during the entire festive season.
The men, both plain and uniformed officers from the Police Form Unit (FPU), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Weapons and Tactical Unit SWAT, CID and MTTD, have been tasked to be of good moral character, uphold service with integrity and add human face while they discharge their duties.
Dozens of police motor riders are expected to complement the efforts of the MTTD to control and manage traffic on the main Kumasi Highway up the mountain.
The service will also deploy drones to increase police presence on the ridge as high-profile dignitaries and diplomats including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are expected to grace functions on the Kwahu ridge.
Citi News understands that about 150 personnel have also been detailed to perform similar duties at Jakiti in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern region where Easter is also busily observed.
Meanwhile, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) is also expected to roll out a road safety campaign at Bunso Junction Friday morning April 7, to help keep motorists in check as a measure of reducing crashes.
COP Nathan Kofi Boakye, one of the most well-liked and respected senior police officers in the nation, has formally resigned from Ghana police at the age of 60.
This retirement brings his over 30 years of service in the Ghana Police Service to an end.
Until his retirement, he was the head of the Ghana Police Service’s Legal and Prosecution Division.
According to a report by myjoyonline.com, the Inspector General of Police, COP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, was in attendance during the ceremony to see him off.
Known popularly as Commander One, COP Kofi Boakye has been credited with some of the most high-profile crime-fighting efforts the country has ever seen.
For instance, in 2005, he led officers from the Accra Region Commandto apprehend the notorious armed robber, Ataa Ayi, becoming one of his biggest cases ever.
He was also noted for his strong views on a number of issues, as well as other notable arrests.
The National Road Safety Association has stated that effective April 5, 2023, all abandoned or disabled vehicles will be forcibly removed from the road.
According to the Authority, it will liaise with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service to remove or cause the removal of any broken down motor vehicle or trailer left on a roadway or in a circumstance that poses danger.
A statement by the NRSA said the increasing number of disabled vehicles has become a worrying trend that needs to end.
Drivers have therefore been advised to place approved Advance Warning Triangles, one at the front and another at the rear sides of the vehicle or trailer, and contact the towing service company to immediately remove the vehicle or trailer to a safe location.
The Ghana Police Service has issued a warrant for the arrest of Kwame Ato Asare Ani for his involvement in a viral video in which police officers who are allegedly engaged in galamsey are threatened. Ani talked from a hiding place.
Asare Ani asserted that he was a police informant and not an armed robber, contrary to what a police statement claimed, during an appearance on Kevin Taylor‘s Loud Silence TV program on April 2, 2023.
When asked why, as an informant, he felt the police were chasing him, he responded that their disagreement stemmed from money he had obtained on their behalf but refused to return.
He said the amount in question was GH¢100,000 (one billion old cedis) which he had taken from some illegal miners for onward transfer to the police.
“The actual reason the police are after me is that they sent me to collect one billion (GH¢100,000.00) from a site at Kwakukrom but I refused to hand over the money to them. That is the reason why they are angry with me,” he said.
He explained why he held the money: “I didn’t give the money because I felt cheated after working with them all this while. They were only giving me small sums of thousand or two thousand every time…
“It is because of the one billion I took and failed to give to them that they are accusing me of being a robber. But I am not an armed robber, nobody can prove that I have ever robbed their site. Sarfo (Axim Police Commander) told me to bring the one billion before they will release my car and other machines which they have seized,” he said.
GhanaWeb on Sunday, April 2, 2023, reported about a viral video in which a supposed leader of the gang is seen accosting a police officer and accusing the officer of attempting to arrest him after he had given him money.
Subsequently, the Ghana Police Service later on Sunday released a statement which said it arrested some four men on March 28 after the Axim Divisional Police Patrol Team reported an attack on them by a gang.
According to the police, it also conducted a search at the residence of Kwame Asare where some weapons and other items were retrieved.
“On March 9, this year, the Axim Divisional Police patrol team reported an attack on the team by a gang that seized the magazine of a Service rifle together with some mobile phones belonging to the Police officers.
“An intelligence operation was immediately launched after the report to get the suspects arrested.
“On March 28, 2023, after about three weeks of the intelligence operation, four men, Kojo Siah alias Mozey; Emmanuel Mensah alias Kofi Asamoah, Maxwell Cudjoe and Agyabu Haruna Dissawu were arrested for their suspected involvement in the attack.
“A search conducted at the residence of Kwame Ato Asare Ani, the prime suspect, who is still on the run, led to the retrieval of three pump-action shotguns.
“Also, one pump-action shotgun, machetes and eight BB refilled cartridges were retrieved from the suspect’s unregistered Honda CRV vehicle. Other items retrieved from the suspects include two live refilled BB cartridges and one unregistered motorbike,” the police statement said.
The statement added that the police became aware of the video showing the confrontation between some police officers and the arrested gang in which the police were pleading with the gang members over an extortion allegation.
According to the statement, the allegation of extortion has since been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) for investigation.
In the said video, the leader of the gang is heard shouting at a group of police officers saying “You asked me to show you something and I showed it to you. Now I ask you to drop me the car and you insist that you are sending me away. Where were you sending me to? You came to demand money at the site and we gave you everything. After that, I asked you to drop me from the car and yet you insisted on sending me. So, if I had not asked someone to block the road with a motorbike you would have sent me away,” the gang leader is heard furiously confronting a member of a group of police officers with a patrol car in what looked like a forest.
As the confrontation raged on, the leader of the gang is heard shouting various commands at his group while the police officers bend on their knees pleading.
“Kwame we beg you,” one of the officers states as he held on to his rifle from being taken away from him by the gang leader.
Adib Saani, a security expert, has questioned the Ghana Police Service’s narrative of what happened in the viral video that showed several police officers being ridiculed by some alleged illegal miners at Aximin the Western region.
In the video the miners were heard accusing the police of extortion.
However, in a statement said at least four people have been arrested for their suspected involvement in the attack on police personnel at Axim adding that the allegation of extortion is also being investigated.
The police further added that efforts are underway to arrest the remaining suspects.
Speaking on Star Midday News with Naa Dedei Tetteh on Monday April 3, 2023, Mr. Saani requested that a holistic investigation be carried out into the incident.
“Whether the perpetrators know each other or not but from my observation I can see there is some degree of familiarity and it appears as though they also know each other and have been doing business together. But what type of business I wouldn’t be able to tell.
“That is why it is critical that we don’t constrict the investigation but we investigate the police as well to ascertain exactly what they were doing there and whether it was officially sanctioned and whether indeed they were given money or not,” Adib Saani stated.
Meanwhile, a section of the public are also calling for an independent investigation rather than the police investigating the issue.
Superintendent of Police Elizabeth Effia Tenge, a former Public Relations officer of the Accra Regional Police Command has left the Service.
She was the immediate past Public Relations Officer at the Volta Regional Police Command.
In a statement on Saturday, April 1, 2023, she said, “Good morning all, hope we are all fine. Please, this is to inform you that I have formally exited from the Ghana Police Service after 18 years of active service.
“ Permit me to use this medium to thank you all, l mean everyone of you, for your immeasurable support during my appointment as Public Affairs Officer of this noble profession.
“We will definitely meet again hopefully in a different working environment.
“Once again thank you very much. Have a blessed day, signed, Supt (Rtd) Effia Tenge. ”
Personal Summary
Effia Tenge is a Superintendent of Police in Ghana. Effia Tenge is a Superintendent of Police in Ghana.
She has a passion for driving organisational and social change through public education and training.
She was appointed into the Ghana Police Service as a public affairs officer in 2005 and stationed at the Media Monitoring Center of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, National Headquarters. She served in the Unit and later became the supervisor, placing her in a vantage role to conduct media analysis of police and security-related information and deal with potential negative publicity likely to affect the reputation of the institution timely.
She made her professional debut in 2014 when she was assigned the public affairs officer for the regional command, Accra. She served in this capacity until she was appointed the director, Public Affairs, Volta regional Police command.
She has served in the Ghana Police Service for 18 years and has risen to the rank of superintendent before her exit. She has been instrumental in implementing initiatives to advance the course of policing in Ghana. The following summarizes some personal achievements
Introduction of police diary
Effia Tenge introduced the Police Regional News Magazine ‘Police Diary’ to ensure regular information flow on law enforcement activities that promotes police professionalism, respect for human rights, transparency in police operations, and accountability to the public.
Undoubtedly, the police’s ability to effectively combat crimes in a growing environment of sophisticated and complex crimes largely depends on strong public support through reliable, credible, and timely crime reporting.
Given this Effia Tenge seeks partnership support from private companies to fund the publications and distribute them to the public at no cost. Four of the news magazines have been published after its maiden launch in 2019 by Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee.
Promotion of a multi-agency approach in crime fighting
In the early part of 2019, Ghana’s pride in hospitality towards the expatriate community came under heavy public condemnation.
This was mainly due to widespread media attacks on Ghana’s security due to unresolved cases of kidnapping which were quite alien to Ghana’s criminal history.
Local and foreign nationals were victims of targeted kidnappings. Amid widespread panic and a recent kidnap scare among the expatriate community in Ghana, Effia Tenge devised and implemented the following initiatives to reduce growing tension and restore public confidence in Ghana’s security.
Stakeholder engagement with expatriates
Given that, Accra hosts most Embassies and High Commissions in Ghana, Effia Tenge activated and maintained Expats Dialogue Sessions aimed at reaching and sharing timely security information on the safety of foreign nationals and key interests in the wake of emerging crimes. Kidnapping, inner-city street robbery, terrorism threats, and other security-related issues; thus finding a multi-dimensional approach to dealing with the complexities
Effia Tenge coordinated a mission-by-mission visitation including the US Embassy, British High Commission, the Netherlands, and Japanese Embassies; and met all security heads of Diplomatic missions in Ghana, hosted by the German Embassy in Accra.
Kidnapping sensitization of Girl Senior High Schools (SHS) in Accra
Owing to the background given, Effia Tenge produced and rolled out a comprehensive sensitization programme through staged drama by police officers who educated students on kidnapping prevention among targeted groups.
Girl Senior High Schools in Accra benefited from the campaign as well as participants in the 2019 Forum of Heads of Girls Senior High School (FOHGSHS) summer camp in the Eastern Region of Ghana, attended by 40 Girl Senior High Schools in the Country.
The campaign was also extended to selected Basic School Groups.
Flyers on vital security tips on kidnappings were designed and distributed as part of the campaign.
Annual Cervical Cancer Screening for Women Police Officers
In prioritizing the well-being of officers, Effia Tenge initiates and coordinates health awareness and screening programmes to build a resilient healthy lifestyle for effective policing. In collaboration with the Police Hospital, health seminars on stress management, mental health, and suicide prevention, lifestyle diseases are periodically held for officers to ensure officers’ vitality.
There is also local and external partnership with the King James foundation and Ghana Medical Missions (USA) to offer health screening of officers and donation of medical supplies to the police hospital.
Additionally, the women’s caucus of the service is mobilized annually to benefit from women’s empowerment and health issues such as cervical cancer, depression, breast cancer, and reproductive and maternal health. She negotiates for discounted diagnostic procedures to encourage more ladies and dependents to take advantage of the opportunity.
Education of law enforcement officers on COVID-19
Similarly in 2020, when Ghana recorded its first cases of COVID-19, the novelty of the global pandemic and the heightened public scare posed a threat to officers resulting in the need for proper sensitization of officers.
Effia Tenge organised a training session in collaboration with the Greater Accra Regional Hospital to provide public health safety tips to police officers as they embarked on operational duties to enforce restrictions during a lockdown.
Organized a blood donation exercise
Effia Tenge spearheaded a blood donation exercise to support the Police Hospital’s Blood Bank. The Police Hospital was the main hospital to receive emergency cases in the day-to-day police combat operations.
The Police Hospital typically receives frontline officers who get injured in the line of duty and require urgent medical attention, victims of violent crimes like robbery, and fatal motor accidents, and suspects of crime in dire emergency cases.
To prevent avoidable deaths she teamed up with the National Blood Bank, and the Police Hospital Administration, and brought doctors and technicians together for a successful blood donation exercise.
Introduction of officer motivation concept
Effia Tenge initiated the ‘City Police’, a concept dedicated to hardworking personnel, whose services to duty are undoubtedly outstanding.
Officers with such qualities are identified and celebrated in a special ceremony. With the support of a corporate partner, these officers are presented with a package to motivate them and encourage others to give their best in the discharge of their duties.
Since this concept was introduced in 2019, four officers including a female have been recognized in a special parade.
Initiated the training of security wardens in a counter-terrorism campaign
Following recent terror attacks in the West African sub-region, particularly neighboring Burkina Faso, the need to secure places of worship in Ghana understandably became imminent.
Effia Tenge coordinated the training of volunteers in 18 houses of worship along different religious complement police efforts.
Subject Matter Experts drawn from different units are brought together to train wardens on basic knowledge in handling security situations at places of worship.
In addition to this, over 20 000 worshipers were sensitized on vigilance and how to detect potential threats.
Though it is almost impossible to guarantee absolute security in combating threats of terrorism, taking strategic steps to reduce potential risk and attacks at both public and places of worship is key.
Police-media relation
She was a police member on the committee set up for the development of Framework on Police-Media Relations and Safety of Journalists in Ghana.
Formulation of guidelines which has been adopted by Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and allied media actors to improve police-media relations.
Until her exit, she was a member of the Public Affairs and Community Engagement (PACE) team drafted an Internal and External Communication Strategy for the National Border Security Strategy. An Integrated Border Management (IBM) agenda under the Ghana-US coordinated Security Governance Initiative (SGI) programme.
This programme seeks to enhance collaboration and unity of efforts of border security agencies to attain the strategic goals for improving security and processes at the borders as well as improving the effectiveness of the Law Enforcement agencies.
Sexual abuse empowerment programme in the Volta region of Ghana
In August 2021, Effia Tenge’s area of responsibility changed from Accra to the Volta Region of Ghana.
A careful analysis of crime trends in the region and interaction with officers on the ground showed a prevalence of child sexual abuse.
Effia Tenge rolled out a campaign in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service GES and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) to build a well-informed community of empowered children who should be able to recognize early sexual advances and speak out.
The campaign goal was to liberate the abused from mythical and cultural factors such as patriarchal nuances, fear of death, and collective shame.
This campaign reached about 5,600 students in the first phase together with the following results:
Currently, a report from DOVVSU indicates an increase in reporting sexually abused crimes as compared to previous years.
Cases of defilement have also reduced from 136 to 45 in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Teachers and students have reliable contact persons to seek advice on issues relating to sexual abuse and exploitation.
Campaign against substance abuse and school hooliganism
The Volta region continues to lead in the illegal cultivation and use of cannabis in the country. A study by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) in 2014 revealed that about 50,000 people in Ghana abused narcotic substances.
Of those people, 35,000 were listed as students from Junior, Senior High Schools and tertiary institutions with the age bracket being 12 to 35 years.
In 2021, to close the gaps and ameliorate the negative effects of substance abuse among the youth, Effia Tenge established a team from the Narcotic Control Commission and Police Drug Law Enforcement and began a School Outreach Programme (SOP) against substance abuse.
The sensitization programme targeted Junior and Senior High Schools within Volta Region and reached 5,900 students.
In conclusion, the success of any law enforcement agency largely depends on its strategic partnerships with the communities they serve through constant engagement and mutual understanding’s expectation.
As such, finding opportunities to interact with all segments of society in a non-enforcement context helps to reduce the barriers between the two entities.
Developing collaborative strategies such as the mentioned programs and initiatives go a long way to legitimize law enforcement and gain support from the very communities we serve.
Four persons have been arrested by the Ghana Police Service (GPS) for attacking police in Western Region, as captured in a viral video.
According to the police, the allegation of extortion by the officers in the video by the suspects has been forwarded to the Police Professional Standards Bureau for investigation.
On March 9, this year, the Axim Divisional Police patrol team reported an attack on the team by a gang that seized the magazine of a Service rifle together with some mobile phones belonging to the Police officers.
An intelligence operation was immediately launched after the report to get the suspects arrested.
On March 28, 2023, after about three weeks of the intelligence operation, four men, Kojo Siah alias Mozey; Emmanuel Mensah alias Kofi Asamoah, Maxwell Cudjoe and Agyabu Haruna Dissawu were arrested for their suspected involvement in the attack.
A search conducted at the residence of Kwame Ato Asare Ani, the prime suspect, who is still on the run, led to the retrieval of three pump-action shotguns.
Also, one pump-action shotgun, machetes and eight BB refilled cartridges were retrieved from the suspect’s unregistered Honda CRV vehicle.
Other items retrieved from the suspects include two live refilled BB cartridges and one unregistered motorbike.
On April 1, 2023, while the investigations were ongoing to get the remaining suspects arrested, the attention of the Police was drawn to video footage in which the said Police personnel, members of the Axim Patrol team, are shown pleading with members of the gang while the gang is alleging extortion by the officers.
The allegation of extortion against the officers has been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSP) for investigation.
All the suspects in the reported attack on the patrol team, who had been arrested, have been put before court and have been remanded in custody. Efforts are continuing to get the remaining suspects arrested.
Some roads in Accra and other parts of the country will be blocked from today, Sunday March 26, 2023, following the arrival of US Vice President, Kamala Harris.
Details as announced by the Ghana Police Service indicates that the said roads include the Liberation road and the Ako Adjei interchange all in Accra.
On Sunday, March 26, 2023, “between the hours of midday and 4:00 pm, there will be intermittent roadblocks along the Liberation Road from the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) traffic intersection, through Opeibea, up to the National Theatre.”
On Monday, March 26, 2023, “between the hours of 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, there will be intermittent roadblocks from the National Theatre, through the AU Roundabout to the Jubilee House, and from the Jubilee House to the Emmanuel Eye Clinic area at Shiashie.
“There will also be intermittent roadblocks from the Ako Adjei Interchange through to the Labone Secondary School area and along the John Evans Atta Mills High Street and onto the Bukom Boxing Arena.”
Tuesday, 28th March, 2023, Traffic Arrangements Within Accra and Cape Coast
“In Accra, between the hours of 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, there will be intermittent roadblocks from the National Theatre, through the Ministries Traffic Intersection up to Castle Traffic Light at the Black Star Square.
“In Cape Coast between midday to 6:00 pm, there will be intermittent roadblocks from the Robert Mensah Sports Stadium, through Bakano Road and Aminstimadzi Road to Omanhene’s Palace and from the Omanhene’s Palace through Beace Road, up to the Cape Coast Castle.”
Wednesday, 29th March, 2023, Traffic Arrangements within Accra
“Between the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, there will be intermittent roadblocks from the National Theatre through the Jubilee House along the Liberation Road, up to the Pawpaw Street area in East Legon.”
The police have since urged all motorists within these areas to exercise patience with the police, while urging that they use alternate routes.
Detailed police officers are also expected to be deployed along these streets, the police statement added.
According to a UTV news report, the victim, who is a known thief in the community, was killed and his body dumped on the roadside, in front of the International Central Gospel Church in Winneba.
The report indicated that residents had heard the victim cry for help at dawn but could not explain what led to him being lynched.
They only realised that the victim was the thief who has been caught several times stealing in the community, in the morning.
The residents, according to UTV reporter, Jacob Kubi, said that the suspected thief has been caught stealing on several occasions, but any time he is handed over to the police, he is released in no time.
They said that the accused thief has been stealing from market women and had been breaking into homes and shops in the community.
Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) says, on March 7th, 2023, their personnel carried out a raid in Ashaiman that “was not targeted at innocent civilians but was an intelligence-led operation conducted on suspected criminal hideouts and crime-prone areas in the general area.”
“Following the operations at Ashaiman-Taifa and Tulaku, the military personnel picked up about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old.”
The Greater Accra Region’s Ashiaman Taifa is where a male adult was reportedly discovered lying dead on March 4, 2023, according to the Ghana Police Service.
Additionally, it carried out “painstaking intelligence-led operations” detained suspects Safianu Musah alias Dayorgu and Ibrahim Abdul Rakib on March 9, and then detained Samuel Tetteh alias Wiper, Abubakar Sadick alias Birdman, Yussif Mohammed, and Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim.
Have you followed the developments? What do you say of the two ‘intelligence-led’ investigations? Between the military and the police, which institution do you say conducted an intelligence-led investigation?
An Accra High Court has convicted some five accused persons said to be members of the Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF), an offshoot of Homeland Study Group (HSG) after finding them guilty for offences contrary to the Prohibited Organisations Act. 1976 (SMCD 20).
Per the brief facts of the case, the said convicts were arrested after police investigations for perpetrating crimes including attacks on officers of the Ghana Police Service.
Trial judge, Her Ladyship Mary E Yanzur charged the 1st accused person; Ebenezer Gblorkpor for 3 counts of attending meetings of a prohibited organization contrary to section 2 (1) (b) of SMCD 20, making contributions to the funds of a prohibited organization contrary to section 2 (1) (g) of SMCD 20 and participating in the campaign of a prohibited organization contrary to section 2 (1) (d) of SMCD 20.
The 2nd accused person, Afetorgbor Kpogo was found guilty and convicted for attending meetings of a prohibited organisation contrary to section 2(1)(b) of SMCD 20.
The 3rd accused person. Joseph Nyamewu, the 4th accused person, Wisdom Kuvor, and the 5th accused person Israel Bessah Kpexor were all found guilty and convicted for participating in the campaign of a prohibited organization contrary to section 2 (1) (d) of SMCD 20 and being a member of a prohibited organization contrary to section 2 (1) (i) of SMCD 20.
Prosecution was conducted by Ms. Adoma Osei Senior State Attorney of the Office of the Attorney-General.
Sentencing has been deferred to 21st March 2023.
Brief facts of the case:
The report on the case noted that these persons belonging to the group established by Michael Koku Kwabla were part of recruits who attended meetings, participated in campaigns, and made contributions to the cause of the group.
Members of the Western Togoland group, on the dawn of September 25, 2020, divided themselves into groups, blocked the Aveyime road from Accra, and burnt tyres.
They also attacked police stations at the Aveyime and Mepe areas, wielding guns and other weapons with which they overpowered the policemen, freed inmates from the cells, broke into the armoury of the stations, and stole arms and ammunition.
“They also stole a police patrol vehicle with registration number GP 195, proceeded to attack the barracks, and made away with monies and other items belonging to the police residents and their families,” parts of the report read.
The members of the group also attacked a police team that was sent to intervene in the situation and injured 3 of them, including their leader; Chief Superintendent Dennis Fiakpui.
Read below the full report on Western Togoland Case
The member of parliament for Wa Central, Rashid Pelpuo, has urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare to launch a comprehensive investigation into the assassination of a middle-aged man by an anti-robbery team in Wa.
The family of the dead has given up on their demand that the police apologize unconditionally for incorrectly classifying the deceased as an armed robber after meeting with IGP.
According to the family, the victim, Abubakari Shahid, was a law-abiding citizen who never engaged in any robbery, contrary to what the police claim.
In an interview with Citi News, the Wa Central legislator stated that the police must refrain from attacking his constituents.
“We are very sad about what has happened. I want to urge the police through the IGP to call on his people to avoid shooting at our people, apologize to the family for labelling their relative as an armed robber and do the necessary thing.”
Many are not convinced by explanations given by the anti-robbery unit of the Upper West Regional Police Command for the killing of the resident of Dondoli, a suburb of Wa.
The deceased, Abubakar Shahban is reported to have been killed by the police anti-robbery taskforce over his alleged connection to a robbery gang that has been operating within Wa and its environs.
Family of the deceased said he left home on March 8 at about 8:00 pm to visit a friend but did not return until they were informed of his murder on March 9.
Some residents of Wa on Friday besieged the Regional Coordinating Council and demanded the release of the remains of the deceased and demanded he is cleared of the robbery allegations.
The family, at a press conference on Monday [March 13], threatened to take legal action should the police fail to apologize to them for killing and tagging Abubakar Shahid as a robber.
But a spokesperson for the family, Mohammed Tamim, in a Citi News interview said they have decided to remain calm, trusting that investigations will exonerate their late brother.
The Ashaiman MP, Mr. Ernest Norgbey, has lauded the Ghana Police Service for the prompt investigations and arrest of the alleged murderers of Trooper Imoro Sherrif.
He stated that the Police operated with professionalism and diligence.
In a press release issued on Monday, March 13, Mr Nogbey said the Police by this conduct have proven that they have requisite competence to investigate all crimes in the country.
“I commend the Ghana Police Service for their calm, but swift and professional conduct thus far in meticulously investigating the circumstances surrounding Trooper Imoro’s death.
“Through their efforts thus far, the Ghana Police have assured the good people of Ashaimanand the entire population of Ghana that the Ghana Police Service, led by the IGP COP George Akuffo Dampare, have the capacity and competence to investigate all horrifying crimes, including the kind that took Trooper Imoro to an early grave.
“The good people of Ghana and Ashaiman will forever remember the noble services of the men and women of the Ghana Police Service to Ashaiman when it mattered most,” excerpts of his statement said.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker has charged the Attorney-General to ensure the swift prosecution of the accused persons.
“I pray that the Attorney-General’s Department will subsequently ensure swift, fair, fearless and successful prosecution of all the suspects involved in the alleged killing of Trooper Imoro and for our courts to return a verdict that serves as a bold line of deterrence to all persons who may want to break the law.”
Mr. Norgbey’s press release comes on the back of an announcement by the Police that they have arrested six suspects in connection with the murder of the soldier.
In a detailed statement issued on Monday, the Police said after almost a week of painstaking intelligence-led operations, on March 9, it arrested suspects Safianu Musah alias Dayorgu and Ibrahim Abdul Rakib at their hideouts in Ashaiman.
“Two other suspects, Samuel Tetteh alias Wiper and Abubakar Sadick alias Birdman were also arrested at their hideouts on March 10.
“Two additional suspects, Yussif Mohammed and Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim were arrested on 11th and March 12, respectively.
The police say a further investigation has established that suspects Samuel Tetteh and Abubakar Sadick at about 1:45 am on March 4, attacked the deceased at Taifa Ashaiman in an attempt to rob him of his phone and a backpack.
“The deceased, however, resisted and struggled with the suspects. During the struggle, suspect Samuel Tetteh pulled out a knife and stabbed the deceased in the arm, snatched his phone and bolted leaving the deceased with the knife stuck in his arm.”
Meanwhile, the Ashaiman Circuit Court has denied bail to six suspects picked up in connection with the murder of Trooper Imoro Sherrif at Taifa, a suburb of Ashaiman on March 4.
Prosecutor, Supt. Sylvester Asare told the court presided over by Simon Gaga that granting the accused persons bail will impede investigations.
The key suspect in the Ashaiman murder case has been grabbed according to the Ghana Police Service.
In a release on Friday, the Police noted that the suspects were arrested through a sustained intelligence-led operation.
“The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation have arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif, the soldier who was found dead at Taifa Ashiaman on 4th March, 2023,” the release stated.
It would be recalled that on Saturday, March 4, 2023, a young soldier was murdered at Ashaiman Taifa.
His death however angered the military for which reason in the early hours of Tuesday, March 7, some military personnel invaded Ashaiman and brutalised some residents in a search for the murderers of their colleague.
They also took some of the residents away for interrogation. Most of them have since been released as of Friday.
The MP for the area then condemned the act by the military men.
According to him, although the killing of the soldier was a dastardly act, “we cannot take the laws into our hands whether we are lawmakers or security agencies.”
However, the Ghana Armed Forces says the operation was merely a swoop in a man-hunt for some criminals and not for vengeance.
According to GAF, “the military operation, which was sanctioned by the Military High Command, was NOT to avenge the killing of the soldier but rather to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime.”
They added that their “swoop” had led to the arrest of about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old and they have since handed them over to the military police who will subsequently send them over to the Ghana Police Service for screening and further action.
In a related development, the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul has described the incident as regrettable.
According to him, in shaping a nation, it is always difficult to ensure that there is absolute peace due to the inevitability of such unfortunate incidents as happened in Ashaiman.
Meanwhile, he has asserted that the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament together with the Ministry of Defense and the Military High Command will pay a visit to the Ashaiman community on Thursday, March 16.
The Ghana Armed Forces has said that the operation they carried out in some areas of Ashaiman was simply a swoop in a manhunt for some criminals and was not carried out for retaliation.
Following the assassination of a young soldier, Trooper Imoro Sherrif, near Ashaiman-Taifa on Saturday dawn, a savage military invasion of some of Ashaiman occurred on Tuesday dawn.
Footages shared on social media show armed military personnel brutalising residents.
According to GAF, “the military operation, which was sanctioned by the Military High Command, was NOT to avenge the killing of the soldier but rather to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime.”
They added that their “swoop” had led to the arrest of about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old and have they have since handed them over to the military police who will subsequently send them over to the Ghana Police Service for screening and further action.
According to GAF, during the course of their operation they had seized 29 slabs and 57 mini slabs of suspected Indian hemp and amnesia among other forms of the narcotics.
“The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) also wishes to place on record that the swoop was not targeted at innocent civilians but was an intelligence–led operation conducted on suspected hideouts of criminals and crime-prone areas in the general area,” they stressed.
“GAF however acknowledges that regrettably some innocent persons might have been caught up in the operation and consequently suffered some distress due to the location they found themselves at the time,” they added.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces has urged the general public to “provide useful information, support the security agencies in weeding out criminals and miscreants from our communities and to desist from shielding and conniving with such suspects in order to the curb criminal activities in the country.”
On Friday, March 3, 2023, a delegation from the Ghana Police Serviceand the Lands Ministry visited the 504 housing units being built for the Ghana Police Service under the direction of Benito Owusu-Bio, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, who is also in charge of land and forestry.
His visit also served as a preliminary handing over preparations and site tour ahead of the official handing over of the police apartments under construction at Kwabenya (Atomic) a suburb of Accra.
At a recently held news conference by the Lands Ministry, Sector Minister, Samuel A. Jinapor disclosed that some State agencies within the vast acres of land around the Kotoka International Airport are being relocated to Kwabenya, to pave way for the redevelopment of the area into a modern commercial hub.
According to the Minister, the agencies within the enclave to be moved, includes the Ghana Police Service, DVLA, Ghana Airport Company Limited, and the Ghana Meteorological Agency.
In the company of the Deputy Minister on the visit were the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Mr. James Dadson, officials from the Lands Ministry and the Ghana Police Service.
As part of the Police Action Against Rider Indiscipline (PAARI)campaign over 250 motorcycle riders have been arrested by the police in Accra for violating traffic light rules.
OPERATION PAARI, a road safety intervention to check indiscipline among motorcycle users on Ghana’s roads was launched in April last year as a result of road traffic accidents in the country.
As part of the strategy, according to the police, motorcycle users who were arrested in violation of road traffic regulations and other traffic offences within the period were sensitised and taken through some road traffic education and subsequently cautioned to be law-abiding.
“Following the introduction of the initiative, it has been observed that a good number of riders are now obeying traffic regulations, especially in the areas of not jumping the red light, avoiding riding on pedestrian walkways and facing oncoming traffic,” the police said in a statement on Friday, March 3.
“The benefit of Operation PAARI is reflected in available data on road traffic accidents in the country which indicates that for the first time in a long while, road traffic crashes involving motorbikes have reduced significantly.”
In order to sustain the gains made in this regard, the police have intensified the operation and have deployed special teams at traffic intersections starting in Accra.
The Ghana Police Service explained that the officers who will also be on motorbikes will patiently follow any rider who jumps the red light to their destination, confront them with the offence and arrest them.
“This is to create a sense of certainty of arrest and thereby encourage some level of self-discipline among the riding public.”
In the past three days, over 250 motorbike riders have been arrested for jumping the red light at various traffic intersections in Accra.
All the arrested riders will be taken through road safety education and the dangers their conduct pose to themselves and other road users; after which they will be taken through the due process of the law.
“While we commend all law-abiding riders for adhering to road traffic regulations, we would like to caution recalcitrant riders against the blatant disregard for traffic regulations since the law will definitely catch up with them.
“We will continue to count on the support of the public to make this programme a success to ensure sanity and safety prevail on our roads.”
Twelve people have been detained for their involvement in illegal cyber crimes, according to theGhana Police Service.
According to a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service on Thursday, March 2, 2023, the suspects engaged in the impersonation of prominent persons on social media to defraud unsuspecting victims.
“The Police through a sustained cyber-intelligence operation have arrested twelve (12) suspects and are pursuing over 25 others for their involvement in cyber-related crimes.
“Investigation has established that the modus of the criminal syndicate is to impersonate or hack into the social media accounts of prominent persons including Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), Heads of government institutions and corporate entities to defraud unsuspecting victims of various sums of money by promising them jobs, scholarships, publication of fake promotional advertisements and sale of products among others,” the police said.
The names of the 12 suspects were listed as Gideon Kove alias Billions, Felicia Nanewortor, Carl Kristal, Safari Zatey, Eric Acquah alias Cent Mona, Richard Agbadzi, Isaac Dortsue alias Barajah, Samuel Gadre, Moses Otchie alias Razak, Yonnah Boso, Sterling Kwame Doe and Wisdom Tornyie.
The police added that the operation to crackdown on cybercrimes has also led to the deletion of over 900 fake social media accounts created by the suspects.
“As part of the operation, nine hundred and seventy-three (973) fake social media accounts created by the suspects in the names of these prominent persons and corporate entities have been pulled down. 785 of the fake accounts were in the names of MPs, 62 in the names of security officials,136 for Ministers of State, Ambassadors and some heads of institutions.
“The Police have also recovered thirty-two (32) mobile phones, three (3) laptops and fifty-four (54) SIM cards used by the suspects to commit their crimes,” the statementadded.
The police further tasked members of the public who have fallen victims to the arrested suspects to call the number 0249850601 which has been dedicated solely for the operation for further action.
The suspects according to the police are assisting in investigations and will be put before court to face justice.
The University of Ghana has granted bail in the sum of GH $50,000 for the 18students who were detained for allegedly causing disturbances on campus.
The students were picked up last week by the Ghana Police Service following a clash on the University of Ghana campus on Tuesday, February 14, 2023.
The 18 were among aggrieved past and continuing students who stormed the University premises to protest Management’s new residential policy restricting continuing students from occupying the Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah residential Halls to make way for level 100 and graduate students.
Subsequently, the students were put before an Accra Circuit Court and remanded into custody for unlawful conduct.
Appearing before Circuit Court 4 on February 20, the students were granted bail with two common sureties without justification.
Counsel for 16 of the 18 students, Albert Quashigah speaking after the court proceedings said the defense was only in court today to seek bail for the students which was granted.
“Our business today was only to apply for bail and the judge was generous and granted us the bail, and we are now taking steps to execute the bail that has been granted to us”.
Though he was optimistic, he feared the processes of the court may delay the bail execution and have the students released by the end of day today.
“This administrative process of the court can be a bit delayed, and we are hoping to execute the bail and have the students freed by the close of the day. It can take some time, but I am only hoping that we will be able to execute the bail to free these students, so they can return back to their studies,” Mr. Quashigah added.
Authorities atUniversity of Ghana, Legon has defended itself against claims that it disregarded a court order to stop the implementation of its new residential policy for some campus residence halls.
The university, in a press statement, insisted that though it did not second the injunction secured over the modality in Mensah Sarbah Hall and Commonwealth Hall, it complied.
This follows police clashes with students on February 14, during a protest where some affected former residents of the Commonwealth Halllamented the management’s lack of response to the court ruling.
The development led to the arrest of some 18 persons by the Ghana Police Service, some of whom the University says are not students.
In the statement dated February 16, the Registrar, Emelia Agyei-Mensah explained that “in spite of the difficulty in comprehending the ex parte order, as it related to a decision that did not exist, upon receipt of the order, the University immediately stopped further allocation of rooms at Commonwealth Hall out of the abundance of caution.”
The university clarified that it released the “second order of the Court by the same judge was obtained on February 9, 2023, and served on the University on February 14, 2023, the same day that the illegal procession and breach of peace by the group took place.”
The press release also reminded students of the institution’s regulations and advised that appropriate channels are explored in seeking redress devoid of violence.
“Any student who attempts to disrupt the peace on campus will be dealt with according to the laws and regulations of the university,” it added.
Meanwhile, the management also clarified that there is no ‘residential board’ in place orchestrating any policy regarding students’ residency on campus.
Rather, the administration indicated that the decision to relocate continuing students from Mensah Sarbah and Commonwealth halls to UGEL halls was made in accordance with University Council directives.
It indicated that “On January 6, 2023, the University received an ex parte order restraining the University from among others, implementing a decision of the University on a residence policy dated October 26, 2022. The University wishes to reiterate that it had not implemented a ‘residential policy decision’ dated October 26, 2022.
The statement further mentioned that there is no ‘Residence Board’ as stipulated in the accusations purported to be supervising room allocations.
“The second order was cast in similar language as the first and referred to a particular decision of the University’s ‘Residence Board’ made at a meeting of October 26, 2022. Again, the University has explained that it has not implemented a decision of the ‘Residence Board’ on residency of students dated October 26, 2022.”
It reiterated that the University Council is the body set up by law to among others to ‘do or provide for any act or thing in relation to the University which the Council considers necessary or expedient in its capacity as the governing body of the University.’
Notwithstanding the admission, it was also pointed out that the administration of the university granted all students who had been genuinely affected by the relocation the opportunity to register for housing in the UGEL halls.
“By the time the order was made, almost ninety percent (90%) of the said students had accepted residency in the re-assigned halls while about eighty (80%) of the students have actually paid and taken up residence in the re-assigned halls. Financial support was available for students who genuinely had difficulty in paying the residential fees charged for the UGEL Halls,” excerpts of the release statement indicated.
Two persons have been arrested by the Ghana Police Service (GPS) following allegations of their involvement in human trafficking activities.
The two, a driver and his accomplice were picked up on Monday (13 February 2023).
The crackdown came after over 20 foreigners including children were caught sheltering near a basic school in the Asokore Municipality of the Ashanti Region, according to a report by Citi FM adding that they have spent three days in Ghana.
Although the nationals were made to believe they were embarking on a trip to Ivory Coast from Niger, the report indicated that the suspect driver and one other person who brought them into the country and said Ghana is the final destination.
Officials of the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly took action after their attention was drawn to the case leading to the arrest of the two persons.
Meanwhile, some undocumented West African nationals are believed to have been smuggled into Ghana as beggars. They are however returning to communities in the Ashanti Region after over 700 of them were recently repatriated.
Ghanaian actor, Oboy Siki has called on the Ghana Police Service and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to retrieve the license of his colleague, Don Little, as he explains that his stature doesn’t permit him to be on the road.
Oboy Siki in an interview with Kofi Adoma Nwanwani called out authorities for issuing a license to the popular actor with dwarfism.
“Ghanaian police have made a big mistake because he (Don Little) doesn’t qualify for driving with his height. He can’t even acquire a license but someone managed to obtain it for him illegally.
“The office which issues licenses put a lot of things into consideration before granting an individual a license. There are rules and regulations that guide their operations…in Ghana, we take a lot of things for granted,” he said.
Oboy Siki in reaction to a viral video that captured Don Little cruising in his car with actor Yaw Dabo, argued that the man will lose control of the steering wheel in case of an accident.
He raised safety concerns and admonished his colleague to employ a driver.
“How can he (Don Little) manage when his car hits a big pothole? What hands will he use to hold on tight to the steering wheel? He can easily fall. When they travel abroad, the white folks see them as kids… whoever got him that license is looking for his death…Yaw Dabo has never driven a car so I will admonish Don Little to desist from driving,” he advised.
The Accra headquarters of the Ghana Police Service experienced a fire outbreak on Thursday, February 9, 2023.
According to a statement via Facebook, the police said personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service reported to the scene and brought the inferno under control.
“There is a fire outbreak in one of the buildings at the Police Headquarters in Accra.
“The Ghana National Fire Service is at the scene and have succeeded in bringing the situation under control,” the Service said.
The cause of the fire was not immediately established but according to the police, there were no casualties during the incident.
“There are no casualties and the cause of the fire is yet to be established.
“We wish to thank the Fire Service team and our officers who are assisting to ensure that the Fire did not spread to the entire building,” the statement by the police added.
Meanwhile, a report by gbcghanaonline.com places the scene of the fire at an office building full of armories at the National Operations Department of the Ghana Police Headquarters.
Some tear gas explosions according to the report were heard during the outbreak which took the Fire Service about half an hour to battle.
The fire is said to have destroyed some of the armories in the cache.
Family Lawyer for the 32-year-old man who was allegedly killed by police officers at the West Hills Mall has commented on the conduct of the Ghana Police Service regarding the matter.
He says the police is trying to cover up on the case.
According to Francis Xavier-Sosu, who is the Member of Parliament for Madina Constituency, there is clear evidence to show that the police is covering up for the actions of its officers which led to the death of the deceased.
“The incident report and the facts before the coroner’s court clearly shows that the Ghana Police service is cleverly covering up for the unlawful and unprofessional conduct of its officers that has led to the death of the deceased,” his law firm, FX & Associates stated in a statement.
The statement by the lawyers of the deceased family is on the back of a police report which said that Shadrach Arloo died from asphyxiation and obstruction of the airway by a foreign body as established through a post-mortem is inconclusive.
According to a police statement issued on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, to update the public on investigations into the death, doctors who conducted forensic examination of his body retrieved 8 bags of narcotics from the throat of the deceased.
“The pathologist gave the verbal cause of death as Asphyxiation and Obstruction of the airway by a foreign body. He also retrieved from the throat of the deceased, eight (8) zipped bags containing dry leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs tied in a piece of black polythene. The retrieved suspected narcotic substances tested positive for cannabis when submitted for forensic examination, in the presence of all the interested parties,” the police statement added.
Reacting to the police report, lawyer Sosu said the verbal cause of death alone is not sufficient and has thus demanded an expansive investigation into the matter.
He noted that the deceased according to evidence was tortured and manhandled by the arresting officers which contribute to or caused his death.
He cautioned that a failure by the police to expand its investigation will see cause certain actions to be taken including a demand for the resignation or dismissal of the Inspector-General of Police.
14 persons have been detained, in connection with minor disturbances during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP ) rerun election at Enchi in the Western North Region, this is , according to the Ghana Police Service.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, because they threatened to mar the elections with violence.
In a statement shared on its Facebook page, the police added that all the arrested persons are in its custody and will soon be put before the court.
“The Police have today, 8th February 2023 arrested 14 persons for threatening to disturb the re-run of some positions in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Constituency Executive Elections at Enchi in the Western North Region,” parts of the statement read.
It added that the suspects “were arrested when they invaded the house of one of the candidates in the election to threaten her and also intimidate others prior to the elections.”
The police stated that the suspects arrested include Kwabena Analdini, Kwasi Fobi, Isaac Oppong, Stephen Kwofie, Isaac Mensah, Kwame Amofah, Acheampong Ernest and Prosper Hato.
The others are Hadi Koder, Aryittey Tettey, Kwasi Mintah, Dominic Akapo, Odoom Botwe and Emmanuel Arhin Owusu.
Gospel musician, Perpetual Didier, has poohpoohed the post-mortem examination results and further communication put out by the Ghana Police Service that stated that the cause of her brother’s death was Asphyxiation and Obstruction of the airway by a foreign body.
The police, in a statement issued on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, and signed by Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Director, Public Affairs, had said due process was followed in the conduct of the post-mortem.
“On 7th February 2023, a post-mortem examination was conducted on the deceased’s body in the presence of Alfred Boafo, father of the accused, Dr Rosana Polinicio Segborwortso Pathologist of GA East Municipal hospital representing the accused, Mr Francis Xavier Sosu lawyer for the deceased, Louis Melabah Edeafor, uncle of the deceased, Isaac Anim Anno, father of the deceased and Anna Cobbina sister of the deceased.
“The pathologist gave the verbal cause of death as Asphyxiation and Obstruction of the airway by a foreign body. He also retrieved from the throat of the deceased, eight (8) zipped bags containing dry leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs tied in a piece of black polythene.
“The retrieved, suspected narcotic substances tested positive for cannabis when submitted for forensic examination, in the presence of all the interested parties,” the statement read.
However, in her interview with JoyNews, Wednesday, February 8, 2023, Perpetual, clad in all-black attire, vehemently rejected the report and accused the police of attempting to conceal the truth and distort the narrative.
“If they’re saying they’ve done investigations, and that he swallowed weed which is wrapped in rubber and they found eight folded weed inside, I want to ask Ghanaians, is weed okro? Can someone swallow weed with ease? Have they given us a footage of the time he swallowed the weed?” a visibly incensed Perpetual retorted.
According to the musician, attempts to get a medical doctor to represent them during the post-mortem, ended up being an exercise in futility as the police hurriedly facilitated the process before the scheduled time.
“When we went to the morgue together with two MPs, they wanted to start the autopsy and I told them that we need a medical doctor so they should give us a chance to find one which of course we got one who is out of Accra. He gave us his colleague who begged us to tell the police to allow him to come today [Wednesday]…” she recounted.
She also noted that the police later went ahead without the said medical doctor to represent the family.
“Because they didn’t wait for our doctor to come inside the room. I will not accept; my family too says they will not accept whatever they are telling us,” she explained, reiterating her initial comment that the police at the West Hills Mall contributed to the death of her brother, amid serious accusations.
“The police did not include how he was brutalized in their statement; that means they have swept away everything. They’re indicating that it is only the weed that caused his death. It could be that when they took the body to the police morgue, somebody planted the weed inside his throat so that our lawyer [who was with them during the autopsy process] will say he saw weed. They should provide how he was swallowing it,” said Perpetual.
Background
Gospel musician, Perpetual Didier alleged in a viral video that her brother was killed by some police officers.
According to her, the incident happened at the West Hills Mall in Accra on January 30, 2022.
The musician explained that her brother, was brutally assaulted by the uniformed policemen, leading to his untimely death.
NEWS RELEASE:
UPDATE ON POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH OF SHADRACH ARLOO AT THE WEST HILLS MALL pic.twitter.com/zRRyLviHsg
“Someone should tag the IGP. I need justice for my brother. Tell him that this is a crime one of his men has done to my family by killing my brother. We are all Ghanaians with equal rights and freedom. Why will you use your position to take someone’s life?” she said in her Facebook Live video, amidst tears.
How the incident came about
In her narration, her brother (the deceased) had gone to the West Hills Mall to withdraw money in order to purchase some items intended to be sent to his sister in Germany.
She added that, from what an eyewitness told her, the police demanded that her brother hand over his bag to be searched, but he refused.
This then led to the police officer getting agitated and then hitting and pushing him to the ground.
Perpetual added that her brother fell to the ground and hit his head on the floor, breaking his neck in the process.
He is said to have lost consciousness, at which time the police officer tased the motionless man on the floor.
It is believed that this worsened the state the young man was already in, leading to his death.
Perpetual Didier, a gospel singer, has disparaged the findings of the post-mortem examination and subsequent statements made by the Ghana Police Service, which claimed that her brother’s death was due to asphyxiation and obstruction of the airway by a foreign body.
The police, in a statement issued on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, and signed by Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Director, Public Affairs, had said due process was followed in the conduct of the post-mortem.
“On 7th February 2023, a post-mortem examination was conducted on the deceased’s body in the presence of Alfred Boafo, father of the accused, Dr Rosana Polinicio Segborwortso Pathologist of GA East Municipal hospital representing the accused, Mr Francis Xavier Sosu lawyer for the deceased, Louis Melabah Edeafor, uncle of the deceased, Isaac Anim Anno, father of the deceased and Anna Cobbina sister of the deceased.
“The pathologist gave the verbal cause of death as Asphyxiation and Obstruction of the airway by a foreign body. He also retrieved from the throat of the deceased, eight (8) zipped bags containing dry leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs tied in a piece of black polythene.
“The retrieved, suspected narcotic substances tested positive for cannabis when submitted for forensic examination, in the presence of all the interested parties,” the statement read.
However, in her interview with JoyNews, Wednesday, February 8, 2023, Perpetual, clad in all-black attire, vehemently rejected the report and accused the police of attempting to conceal the truth and distort the narrative.
“If they’re saying they’ve done investigations, and that he swallowed weed which is wrapped in rubber and they found eight folded weed inside, I want to ask Ghanaians, is weed okro? Can someone swallow weed with ease? Have they given us a footage of the time he swallowed the weed?” a visibly incensed Perpetual retorted.
According to the musician, attempts to get a medical doctor to represent them during the post-mortem, ended up being an exercise in futility as the police hurriedly facilitated the process before the scheduled time.
“When we went to the morgue together with two MPs, they wanted to start the autopsy and I told them that we need a medical doctor so they should give us a chance to find one which of course we got one who is out of Accra. He gave us his colleague who begged us to tell the police to allow him to come today [Wednesday]…” she recounted.
She also noted that the police later went ahead without the said medical doctor to represent the family.
“Because they didn’t wait for our doctor to come inside the room. I will not accept; my family too says they will not accept whatever they are telling us,” she explained, reiterating her initial comment that the police at the West Hills Mall contributed to the death of her brother, amid serious accusations.
“The police did not include how he was brutalized in their statement; that means they have swept away everything. They’re indicating that it is only the weed that caused his death. It could be that when they took the body to the police morgue, somebody planted the weed inside his throat so that our lawyer [who was with them during the autopsy process] will say he saw weed. They should provide how he was swallowing it,” said Perpetual.
Background
Gospel musician, Perpetual Didier alleged in a viral video that her brother was killed by some police officers.
According to her, the incident happened at the West Hills Mall in Accra on January 30, 2022.
The musician explained that her brother, was brutally assaulted by the uniformed policemen, leading to his untimely death.
“Someone should tag the IGP. I need justice for my brother. Tell him that this is a crime one of his men has done to my family by killing my brother. We are all Ghanaians with equal rights and freedom. Why will you use your position to take someone’s life?” she said in her Facebook Live video, amidst tears.
How the incident came about
In her narration, her brother (the deceased) had gone to the West Hills Mall to withdraw money in order to purchase some items intended to be sent to his sister in Germany.
She added that, from what an eyewitness told her, the police demanded that her brother hand over his bag to be searched, but he refused.
This then led to the police officer getting agitated and then hitting and pushing him to the ground.
Perpetual added that her brother fell to the ground and hit his head on the floor, breaking his neck in the process.
He is said to have lost consciousness, at which time the police officer tased the motionless man on the floor.
It is believed that this worsened the state the young man was already in, leading to his death.
About 12 people have been detained by the Ghana Police Service on suspicion of being part of a syndicate that is to blame for several crimes throughout the nation.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested between July 2022 and January 2023 as a result of a sustained operation.
“The Police have arrested twelve people who are members of an organised crime syndicate involved in a series of carjacking, robbery and murder incidents across three regions of the country.
“The arrests follow a sustained, intelligence-led operation by a special police team which mounted surveillance on the activities of the gang between July 2022 and January 2023 in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern Regions.
A police statement dated February 1 listed the names of the suspects as Prince Opuni, Kwabena Kyei Barfour, Jeffrey Dwomoh alias Jeff, Clifford Opoku alias Spider, Samuel Adom, William Ansah, Bernard Adu Gyamfi, Anthony Tawiah alias Wizzy, Andrew Kwame Owusu, Musah Sulley, Yaw Acheampong, Charles Lotherford.
The gang according to the police operated with guns with which they attacked their victims, took over their cars and then sell off the cars to others.
“Investigations into the activities of the syndicate revealed that suspect, Jeffry Dwomoh, shot and killed one of his victims, during one of the carjacking expeditions at Brofoyedru near Ahenema Kokoben,” the police statement said.
The police added that it recovered ten (10) vehicles believed to have been snatched by the gang from their victims as well as several weapons and ammunitions, and a cash amount of GHC10,010.00 from the suspects during the operation.
The police added that it is currently in the process of arresting one more suspect who is believed to facilitate double vehicle documentation for the gang.
“Police are in touch with most of the victims who are assisting the investigation and efforts are underway to contact the remaining victims,” the statement added.
The Managing Editor of The Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has described as reckless the removal of the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu by the leadership of the National Democratic Congress.
He said the NDC has created room for speculation amongst the party’s political opponents.
“This is a reckless move, absolutely reckless move. So what have you achieved? You have created conditions for all manner of speculations. I was listening to some of my friends in the NPP discuss this matter, come and see, it’s like they have won a bonanza.
“One of them actually went to the extent of saying John Mahama directed this move because he has a rift with Haruna, he wants to show Haruna some sense. This is not true, John Mahama was not comfortable with this move,” Mr. Pratt said on the Alhaji and Alhaji show on Radio Gold.
He described the popularity of the MP for Tamale South as legendary adding that his removal will affect the fortunes of the party up north.
“His popularity is legendary and anytime he has been touched, there have been repercussions. He is not God, he is not all-knowing, he is not omnipotent, he is not omnipresent, he can be removed. But if you want to remove him there are things that you have to do knowing the political circumstances. Were those things done?” the Editor of the Insight Newspaper asked.
According to him, though the outgoing Minority Leader has his shortcomings, he is the primus inter pares in the Northern region.
“Haruna Iddrisu may have all his faults, but he is the primus inter pares [first amongst equals] in the Northern Region. I have been to Tamale on many occasions, I went to school in Tamale, and I know Tamale fairly well. This is a man who comes to Tamale and he doesn’t drive a car. I have seen him riding just an ordinary bicycle moving from place to place holding caucuses in the streets, and playing cards with members. I have seen him on a motorbike going to funerals and so on,” Mr. Pratt noted.
There have been some disagreements amongst the Minority caucus after the party replaced Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu with Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle also replaced Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.
Some MPs signed a petition to reject the decision of the party over lack of consultation. Another set of MPs also petitioned the leadership of the NDC to ignore calls for the reshuffling to be reversed.
The Council of Elders of the NDC subsequently called on both sides to cease fire.
Legendary highlife artiste, Kojo Antwi has paid a courtesy call to the headquarters of the Ghana Police Service. The purpose of his visit was to pay a courtesy call on the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare.
Kojo Antwi was greeted by a sea of uniformed officers as he entered the building and they were all eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary musician. Accompanied by his management team, he made his way to the IGP’s office, where he was warmly received.
The meeting was a cordial one, with both Kojo Antwi and the IGP exchanging pleasantries and discussing a range of topics, including the role of music in promoting peace and unity in Ghana.
Kojo Antwi also expressed his appreciation for the hard work of the Ghana police in keeping the country safe, and the IGP in turn praised the musician for his contributions to the cultural fabric of Ghana and the entertainment industry.
Kojo Antwi was given a tour of the facility including the training camp and was given a brief lecture on how the Ghana police intend to work with musicians and the entertainment industry.
See the photos below:
Netizens react to photos from Kojo Antwi’s visit
Hope Love commented
Is a year of visiting the Police. So since everyone is visiting, let me also visit my local Police station and just say hi to the commanding officer here. He is a good man. Yes Sir, I salute..
Agyei Williams commented;
Lumba infact you’re legend
Comey Hughes:
Yes to the IGP…. showing sensitivity and humility!!!!
Abdul Majeed Musah Ali commented
Legends will be always be legends
Abdulae Fuseini commented
Am not sure Ghana police personnel learnt from this man. From what am seeing from him, l will say he’s a humble man. And Ghana police personnel should emulate his behaviors.
