TIG Post

Tag: police

  • India: Police urged to probe Balasore train crash

    India: Police urged to probe Balasore train crash

    India’s railway ministry has made a recommendation for the country’s premier detective agency to investigate the tragic crash that claimed the lives of 275 individuals.

    Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced this decision, but specific details were not provided.

    Initial investigations led by the railways have already commenced, with preliminary reports suggesting that a signal fault was the cause of the collision.

    Occurring on Friday night, this three-train accident has been described as India’s most devastating rail disaster of the century.

    Over 1,000 people sustained injuries and were transported to hospitals, while some families are still desperately searching for their missing loved ones.

    The rationale behind the Railway Board, the ministry’s highest decision-making body, recommending a separate investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) remains unclear, especially when other inquiries have already been initiated.

    The CBI specializes in probing high-profile criminal cases, encompassing serious financial fraud and homicide. According to Mr. Vaishnaw, the railway minister, the “root cause” of the accident has been determined, along with those responsible for this “criminal act.”

    He added that a “change in electronic interlocking” was the likely cause of the accident. The minister urged people to wait for the final report.

    A report by the Commissioner of Railway Safety would be made public soon and it would reveal the cause, he said.

    Meanwhile, the railways said on Sunday that the Coromandel Express’s engine and coaches crashed into a goods train due to a signal fault and a “change in electronic interlocking”.

    In railway signalling the electronic interlocking system sets routes for each train in a set area, ensuring the safe movement of trains along the track.

    The impact of the crash threw coaches of the Coromandel Express onto a third track and they rammed into the rear carriages of the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express that was coming down the line at a high speed.

    More than 3,000 passengers are thought to have been on board the two passenger trains.

    Atul Karwal, chief of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), said the force of the collision left several coaches crushed. Rescuers had to cut through the wreckage to reach the passengers.

    Hundreds of ambulances, doctors, nurses and rescue personnel were sent to the scene and worked for 18 hours to rescue passengers and pull out bodies.

    On Sunday night, Mr Vaishnaw said train movement had been restored on the railway tracks where the accident took place.

    Reports say several passengers are still missing.

    Opposition leaders have called on Mr Vaishnaw to take responsibility for the tragedy and resign.

    The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has responded by asking them not to politicise the accident.

  • Italian border police probed for shipwreck that killed 94 migrants

    Italian border police probed for shipwreck that killed 94 migrants

    Following the death of numerous migrants off the coast of Calabria, three border police officials in Italy are under investigation on suspicion of manslaughter.

    In February, a wooden boat carrying up to 180 people broke apart against sharp rocks, killing at least 94 people, among them a newborn and numerous youngsters.

    On the beach of Steccato di Cutro, a little seaside community on Calabria’s eastern coast that serves as the tip of Italy’s boot, the boat’s wreckage washed ashore.

    But moments before, Italy’s Guardia di Finanza, or financial police, which also serves borders and customs, was dispatched to intercept the crowded boat.

    The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, commonly known as Frontex, first spotted the vessel in the Ionian Sea at about 10:35pm on February 25 evening.

    Agency officials alerted the Italian authorities to it, stressing that no one appeared to have a life vest on – the Guardia di Finanza sent out two patrols to ‘intercept’ it.

    At 4am, after the force called off the search due to bad weather, the ship was torn apart, the Milan-based Corriere della Sera newspaper and Sky TG24 reported.

    epa10491817 A group of people is assisted by emergency services at a beach near Cutro, Crotone province, southern Italy, 26 February 2023. Italian authorities said on 26 February that at least 30 bodies were found on the beach and in the sea near Crotone, in the southern Italian region of Calabria, after a boat carrying migrants sank in rough seas near the coast. About forty people survived the accident, Italian firefighters added. Authorities fear the death toll will climb as rescuers look for survivors. EPA/GIUSEPPE PIPITA
    At least 94 people died (Picture: EPA)
    Members of Italy’s customs police, Guardia di Finanza, have been brought in for questioning (Picture: Getty Images Europe)

    The death toll grew – and fast – as bodies of people from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan crossing from Turkey washed up ashore over the next few days.

    More are months on still missing.

    According to Corriere della Sera, citing a search warrant issued by prosecutors, investigators have found ‘significant anomalies’ in a logbook for one of the motorboats dispatched.

    Some pages were not written when the border officers were conducting a search but hours later instead – by then, the shipwreck was headline news.

    The motorboat, identified as V5006, was actually at the port in Crotone, Calabria, at the time the log said it was out at sea searching for the migrants.

    Three personnel have been brought in, though it is unclear whether they were involved in the search or working in the port giving orders.

    Sky TG24 reported that three other people are being investigated, though their names had been blacked out in the warrant.

    In the course of Italy’s investigation, four men have been arrested on suspicion of being people smugglers among the 80 survivors.

    The boat departed from Cesme, a small port west of Izmir, four days before the shipwreck.

    The Guardia di Finanza and Frontext have been approached for comment.

  • 2 women killed in mall knife attack in Hong Kong

    2 women killed in mall knife attack in Hong Kong

    A frantic, seemingly random attack that left two women dead in a Hong Kong mall has stunned the city, where violent crime is uncommon.

    Graphic videos that have been going viral on social media seem to show the assailant pinning one of the women to the ground and stabbing her repeatedly. They also show the woman’s friend attempting, but failing, to repel the assailant. She too was later stabbed, though it is not visible in the video.

    Police say the two victims, ages 22 and 26, died after being transported to the hospital after being injured many times in the incident at the Hollywood Plaza shopping centre in Diamond Hill on Friday afternoon.

    Police senior superintendent Elieen Chung Lai-yee said the attacker – who does not appear to have known the two women – purchased the 12-inch knife used in the attack in the same mall, shortly before the stabbing.

    “He walked around for a few minutes and then launched his attack on the first victim,” she said.

    Lai said the other woman came forward to stop him, but became a target herself.

    “We found multiple knife wounds on (the two women) and they were bleeding profusely,” she said.

    Police said they had arrested a 39-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of murder and that the suspect has a history of mental illness.

    The attack has shocked a city where violent crime of any sort is relatively rare, particularly so because of the apparently random nature of the incident.

    The city sees only a few dozen homicides each year, compared to several hundred in New York. And it recorded only 77 robberies last year – compared to more than 17,000 in New York and 24,000 in London.

    On Saturday, some members of the public left floral tributes at the mall, which is in a largely residential area in the north of the city.

    The city’s leader, Chief Executive John Lee, said in a statement on Saturday that he was saddened by the attack and had sent condolences to the families of the two women.

    Lee, a former police officer, also urged citizens to stop sharing footage of the attack online and said members of the public should “seek professional support if they experience any emotional distress.”

  • Mexican police find body parts in search for missing call center workers

    Mexican police find body parts in search for missing call center workers

    During their search for seven missing contact centre employees, police have found 45 bags containing human body parts.

    After staff at two distinct contact centres went missing over the course of two days last week, the horrifying revelation was uncovered.

    Police were tipped off that they would find evidence in a hard-to-reach location in the city of Zapopan while searching for the missing workers.

    A search and rescue team from the Zapopan Civil Protection and Fire Department used a helicopter to approach the ravine, which was roughly 40 metres deep.

    Forensic experts work with several bags of human remains extracted from the bottom of a ravine by a helicopter, which were abandoned at the Mirador Escondido community in Zapopan, Jalisco state, Mexico on May 31, 2023. The Jalisco Prosecutor's Office is investigating to find out if the remains belong to the 7 call center workers who disappeared on their way to work in recent days. (Photo by ULISES RUIZ / AFP) (Photo by ULISES RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images)
    One of the plastic bags is lifted out of the ravine by a helicopter (Picture: ULISES RUIZ / AFP)

    They found about 45 plastic bags in the ravine containing human body parts. Forensic scientists and medical examiners are currently working on determining exactly how many individuals were disposed of in the bags.

    ‘At the moment it cannot be specified that the remains located in this area correspond to the seven workers of a call center who disappeared last week in Zapopan,’ the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office said on Wednesday.

    The next day, investigators did note that the bodies ‘coincided with the physical characteristics of some of the young people’ missing from the call center.

    The seven call center employees disappeared between May 20 and May 22 from Jardines Vallarta and La Estancia neighborhoods in Guadalajara.

    All the missing workers were in their 20s or 30s, authorities said. An eighth missing person was also reported missing days later who police in Jalisco believe is associated with the group.

    Among them was one American citizen – Carlos Valladolid, a 23-year-old Arizona native who worked at one of the call centers, the Daily Mail reported.

    Valladolid lived in Jalisco with his sister, Mexican citizen Itzel Valladolid, 27, who is also among the missing employees.

    While searching for the call centers for the missing employees, investigators stumbled upon an operation they believe targeted elderly Americans, Mexican newspaper El Pais reported.

    At the call centers, police seized hard drives, marijuana, a blackboard with a list of foreign names, and a red-stained mop they believe was used to clean up blood.

    Locals near the call center also told investigators they occasionally saw armed men at the building.

    The operation had ‘all the characteristics of organized crime,’ Jalisco Prosecutor Luis Joaquín Méndez said.

  • Ousmane Sonko’s residence in Senegal has been surrounded by police

    Ousmane Sonko’s residence in Senegal has been surrounded by police

    Police in the Senegalese capital Dakar have surrounded the home of the main opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, after deadly unrest erupted over a jail sentence pronounced against him.

    Mr Sonko wasn’t in court on Thursday when he was sentenced to two years in prison for immoral behaviour.

    But the justice minister said he could be jailed at any time.

    At least nine people were killed in Dakar and the southern city of Ziguinchor when Mr Sonko’s supporters clashed with police.

    Senegal’s government blocked some social media and insisted it would maintain order.

  • Socialite fined £30,000 for killing police friend

    Socialite fined £30,000 for killing police friend

    Socialite Jasmine Hartin received a £30,000 fine yesterday night for using his own gun to kill the Belizean police chief.

    Jasmine, the ex-girlfriend of Conservative oligarch Lord Ashcroft’s son Andrew, admitted killing the cop, Henry Jemmott, who was also a friend of hers, in May 2021.

    Hartin, 33, first refuted guilt in Mr. Jemmott’s death but later agreed to a plea agreement.

    She received a £30,000 fine and 300 hours of community service on Tuesday night.

    The socialite has also been asked to record a video of herself educating others about the impact of ‘drinking and making foolish decisions’.

    Mr Jemmott was killed by a shot to the head while he and Hartin were drinking together late at night on a pier in 2021, near Mr Ashcroft’s luxury hotel on the island of Ambergris Caye.

    Hartin claimed Mr Jemmott had offered to teach her how to use his Glock-17 pistol for her protection.

    She wept in court as she entered a guilty plea to manslaughter by negligence at the last-minute before her trial was due to take place.

    Mr Jemmott’s widow Romit Wilson, 39, criticised Hartin’s behaviour throughout the court case, accusing the socialite of conducting an ‘international PR campaign’.

    Ms Wilson, who had three children with Mr Jemmott, broke her silence to tell the Daily Mail Hartin had sought to portray herself as the victim.

    She told the Mail: ‘I have not given any interviews to any media houses since the day Henry was killed.

    ‘I have focused on our children, taking care of them and dealing with our grief. I know they say grief comes in waves, but ours has been constant.

    ‘My children and I have had to endure Ms Hartin recounting in interview after interview, in full documentaries even, details of that awful night, details of her friendship with Henry and even details about my relationship with Henry.

    ‘She said she pleaded guilty to not put us through the anguish of a trial. I wish she had also thought about that before her international PR campaign.’

    The Jemmott family’s lawyer, Leslie Mendez, also criticised Hartin for trying to ‘inject uncertainty’ over her plea. Ms Mendez said: ‘You cannot waffle on the veracity of your guilty plea and, at the same time, maintain you want the family to have peace and heal.

    ‘It is reprehensible to inject uncertainty into the public discourse and the minds of his family when what they want is the truth and justice.’

    A civil case is due to go before the courts in Belize at the conclusion of criminal proceedings against Hartin.

    While on bail awaiting trial, Hartin gave several interviews in print and on camera. She has also featured in the documentary One Bullet in Belize on US streaming service Discovery+.

    Hartin has described in graphic detail how she ‘accidentally’ shot the officer as they enjoyed a late-night drink.

    She said she ‘wriggled out’ from under the heavily built officer and was left covered in his blood.

    Her former partner Andrew Ashcroft has said Hartin was ‘very drunk’ on the night of the incident.

    Mr Ashcroft’s claims contradicted Hartin’s assertion she had only consumed a few drinks and was not intoxicated on the night Mr Jemmott was killed.

    The couple separated shortly after the incident and have since been embroiled in a bitter custody battle over their twin children.

    Mr Ashcroft, 45, said in his statement that they had attended a party at the Sunset Lounge until about 11pm on May 28, 2021.

    He said: ‘Jasmine had been drinking heavily and had started consuming alcohol while getting ready to attend the party and continued to do so at the party.’

    Mr Ashcroft said after the couple arrived back at the hotel, Hartin asked him to join her for drinks with Mr Jemmott, who was staying at the resort.

    ‘Jasmine appeared very drunk at this point,’ he added, saying he declined and offered to stay with the children before going to bed.

    The father described the moment he was woken by staff to be informed of the shooting at 1am.

    ‘I saw Jasmine standing in front of the Mata Rocks Pier covered in blood about 30 yards from me.’

    Hartin has denied the claims she was drunk.

  • Man gives up after shooting family member at party

    Man gives up after shooting family member at party

    After reportedly shooting a woman at a birthday party and killing a relative, a man handed himself in.

    Delvin Diaz, 33, hosted a birthday celebration in his Brooklyn flat, and Geoliver Tineo, 23, reportedly attended. Police informed the New York Post that the argument started because Tineo, the nephew of Diaz’s sister-in-law, was either not invited or brought a visitor who was not invited.

    Tineo is suspected of shooting at Diaz on Saturday night in front of his residence on Drew Street near Stanley Avenue. According to police, Diaz was hit numerous times.

    In addition, a 31-year-old woman was grazed in the head. It was not immediately known if Tineo was targeting her.

    Delvin Diaz was shot several times and died
    Delvin Diaz was shot several times and died (Picture: Facebook)

    Diaz was transported to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, where he died of the wounds. The woman was also taken to the same hospital and is in stable condition.

    Tineo surrendered to law enforcement officials early Sunday, about four hours after the 9.30pm ordeal.

    He has been charged with murder, attempted murder and criminal possession of a loaded firearm.

    In addition, a 31-year-old woman was grazed in the head. It was not immediately known if Tineo was targeting her.

    Delvin Diaz was shot several times and died
    Delvin Diaz was shot several times and died (Picture: Facebook)

    Diaz was transported to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, where he died of the wounds. The woman was also taken to the same hospital and is in stable condition.

    Tineo surrendered to law enforcement officials early Sunday, about four hours after the 9.30pm ordeal.

    He has been charged with murder, attempted murder and criminal possession of a loaded firearm.

  • Police in Delhi file rioting case against wrestlers after detention

    Police in Delhi file rioting case against wrestlers after detention

    A protest in India’s capital city of Delhi, has led the police to file cases, including charges of rioting, against prominent wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, who were detained during the demonstration.

    The wrestlers were among the protesters who attempted to march towards India’s newly constructed parliament.

    However, they were released later that night after being held by the authorities. In response, the police have also cleared the protest site in Delhi.

    Despite this, the wrestlers have expressed their intention to return to the location and continue their protest.

    “There is no point in going home until we get justice,” Mr Punia told reporters on Sunday night after he was released from detention.

    Two-time World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat and her sister Sangeeta were among the wrestlers who were detained. They and Ms Malik were released in the evening.

    A Delhi police official told media that if the wrestlers applied for permission to continue their protests, they would be allowed to do so at “a suitable place other than Jantar Mantar” – Jantar Mantar is a heritage site in Delhi where the wrestlers had been protesting for more than a month.

    “All facilities had been provided to the wrestlers at Jantar Mantar for 38 days, but yesterday they violated the law despite all requests made to them,” said Suman Nalwa, deputy commissioner of Delhi Police.

    The wrestlers have said that they wanted to march peacefully towards the new parliament, but were not allowed to do so. “We didn’t riot, we didn’t damage any public property,” said Ms Malik, who is the only Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal.

    The wrestlers began protesting on 23 April, demanding the arrest of their federation chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, for allegedly sexually harassing female athletes.

    Mr Singh, an influential lawmaker and politician from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has denied the allegations and accused the wrestlers of being “politically motivated”.

    On Sunday, a scuffle broke out between the protesters and the police while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was formally opening the country’s new parliament building, which is just a few kilometres away from Jantar Mantar. Police said that the protesters did not follow their directions and that they detained those who tried to break security barricades.

    Footage showed protesters climbing over barricades and being carried away by the authorities.

    “They broke the law,” Dependra Pathak, Delhi’s Special Commissioner of Police, told local media.

    However, Ms Malik claimed that they had been “walking quietly” and that the police “dragged and forcibly detained” protesters without telling them where they were being taken.

    “The whole world is watching how the government is treating its players,” Vinesh Phogat tweeted.

    Security personnel detain wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat during wrestlers' protest march towards new Parliament building, on May 28, 2023 in New Delhi, India.
    Image caption,Visuals of the wrestlers being dragged by police went viral

    On Sunday evening, police filed cases against Ms Malik, Mr Punia, the Phogat sisters and “other organisers of the protest”. They have been accused of rioting, assembling unlawfully and of obstructing public servants from doing their duty.

    Visuals of the athletes being dragged and carried off in buses went viral, sparking criticism from some top athletes and opposition politicians.

    “This makes me sad. There has to be a better way to deal with this”, Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra tweeted in reaction to a video which showed police pulling the Phogat sisters as they sat on the road.

    “Why does it have to come down to our wrestlers being dragged around without any consideration? This isn’t the way to treat anyone. I really hope this whole situation is assessed the way it should be,” said Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri.

    Several opposition leaders, including Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, criticised the police’s actions.

    The wrestlers began protests in January but they called it off the same month after India’s sports ministry stripped Mr Singh of his administrative powers for a few weeks and the government promised to investigate their complaints.

    But the wrestlers restarted their protests in April, calling for his arrest.

    So far, the police have filed two cases against Mr Singh, including one under India’s Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act – which deals with sexual offences against children.

    Mr Singh has said that the law was being misused. He has been questioned by police but not arrested yet.

  • Your team is performing admirably – Dagbon Overlord to Dampare

    Your team is performing admirably – Dagbon Overlord to Dampare

    The Overlord of the Dagbon traditional territory, Ya Naa Gariba II, has praised the Dagbon Police for what he calls their “outstanding performance” in maintaining the area’s peace, security, and order.

    According to the king, the police leadership in the traditional area regularly confer with him on security matters concerning the area.

    “Your men are doing well in Dagbon. They have been efficient and they always liaise with my palace in dealing with issues in the traditional area hence the security and peace we are witnessing in the enclave.

    “I thank you for the patience and the skills you’re exhibiting as IGP. You’re sacrificing your sleep and comfort for the good of the entire country.The people and chiefs of Dagbon are grateful for the work that you’re doing,” the Overlord made the comments when the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare paid a courtesy call on him as part of his working tour of the region.

    The IGP and some members of the police management board are touring the Savanna and Northern regions to touch base with police personnel in those regions to listen to their concerns on first hand basis.

  • Two kill man at Nkawie for allegedly stealing GHS1,000

    Two kill man at Nkawie for allegedly stealing GHS1,000

    The police are currently in pursuit of two individuals accused of assaulting a man and causing his death after accusing him of stealing GHS1,000.

    Reportedly, Kofi Naasei and Kofi Ase stormed the residence of the now-deceased Akwasi Kwaa, 32, at around 2 am. They confronted him with allegations of theft and proceeded to tie him to a metal lights pole.

    They physically assaulted him and then dragged him to Akataninse, where the beatings continued until he succumbed to his injuries.

    Despite pleas from the deceased’s sister, Maame Yaa Aso, urging the assailants to hand over the suspect to the police, their demands were ignored. Kofi Ase even threatened that they would kill him, justifying their actions by labelling him a thief.

    An official complaint was filed, leading the police to Akataninse, where they discovered the lifeless body of the deceased lying face-down. The body had a blue nylon rope tied around the neck and shoulder, with an orange T-shirt hanging from the neck, and a plastic bottle nearby.

    The body, bearing multiple wounds, was then transported to Afari Community Hospital and subsequently deposited at the morgue for autopsy.

    Following the heinous act, all the culprits fled the town. However, the Nkawie police have assured that they are actively working to apprehend the suspects, ensuring they face the full consequences of the law.

  • Police shoot 11-year-old in Mississippi after he called for help

    Police shoot 11-year-old in Mississippi after he called for help

    The family of Aderrien Murry, an 11-year-old boy who was shot by a police officer after calling for help, has stated that he has been discharged from the hospital.

    The incident occurred in Mississippi when police responded to a domestic disturbance call made by the boy and allegedly shot him in the chest, as reported by his mother.

    After being shot, the boy reportedly asked his mother, “What did I do?” The officer involved has been placed on leave pending an investigation into the shooting, which is being conducted by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

    Following treatment for a collapsed lung, fractured ribs, and a lacerated liver at a local hospital, the boy is now recovering at home. His mother, Nakala Murry, has demanded that the officer be fired and charged.

    During a press conference held on Monday outside Indianola City Hall, Nakala Murry explained that the father of one of her other children had arrived at their house early on Saturday morning and was behaving aggressively, leading her to instruct her son to call the police.

    When the Indianola officer arrived, Ms Murry later told CNN, he “had his gun drawn at the front door” and asked everyone inside to exit.

    As her son turned the corner of the hallway, the officer opened fire, striking Aderrien in the chest, she said.

    “His words were: ‘Why did he shoot me? What did I do?’ and he started crying,” Ms Murry said. “This cannot keep happening. This is not OK.”

    She said she had covered her son’s wound with her hand and applied pressure, blood pooling beneath her palm. The officer also assisted her in rendering aid, she said, until medics arrived.

    Aderrien was rushed to the University of Mississippi Medical Centre, where he was given a chest tube and placed on a ventilator.

    Ms Murry and her family’s lawyer, Carlos Moore, have called on officials to take further action. Mr Moore said the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave.

    “What are you waiting on? Someone to actually die?” Mr Moore said during the Monday press conference.

    According to him, the officer allegedly involved had been named the department’s “best officer”.

    “If he’s your best, Indianola, you need a clean house from top to bottom,” he said.

    At a sit-in protest outside City Hall on Thursday, Ms Murry, Mr Moore and about a dozen protesters said they were “demanding justice”.

    At a rally planned for Saturday, the group will demand the firing of the officer and the release of body-camera footage from the incident.

    Police have so far denied the footage request due to the ongoing investigation, according to Mr Moore.

    The Indianola Police Department told BBC News it is not currently commenting on the case.

    Over the weekend, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said it is “currently assessing this critical incident and gathering evidence”, and will submit its findings to the state attorney general’s office.

  • Four injured in shooting in Central Japan – NHK

    Four injured in shooting in Central Japan – NHK

    As reported by Japan‘s national broadcaster NHK, a man shot what seemed to be a hunting rifle in Nakano City, Nagano Prefecture, on Thursday, injuring at least four persons.

    In the late afternoon, a “man stabbed a woman,” according to NHK, and the police were called.

    The man opened fire on four individuals before fleeing and barricading himself in a building when police got on the scene, according to NHK.

    NHK reported the suspect was wearing a camouflage hat, top and bottoms with sunglasses and a mask.

    Nakano City urged citizens to stay indoors in a statement posted onto social media Thursday.

    Gun violence is extremely rare in Japan. The country has one of the lowest rates of gun crimes in the world due to its extremely strict gun control laws.

    In 2018, Japan, a country of 125 million people, only reported nine deaths from firearms – compared with 39,740 that year in the United States, according to data compiled by the Sydney School of Public Health at the University of Sydney.

    This is a breaking news story, more to follow

  • Viral video: Police threatens to handcuff contractor Kofi Job

    Viral video: Police threatens to handcuff contractor Kofi Job

    A video circulating on social media has shown the Chief Executive Officer of a well-known construction firm, Kofi Job Construction Company Limited, getting into a heated altercation with a police officer.

    Mr. Kofi Job, in the trending video is captured arguing with a police officer who was part of a patrol team that had impounded a heavy-duty machine enroute to his company’s construction site.

    In the heated exchange, a member of the police team noted that they impounded the excavator, which was being driven on the road instead of being transported on a low-bed trailer truck, and they would only release it when a truck was brought to transport the machine for the remainder of the journey.

    However, Kofi Job insisted that the machine be released to him.

    “I am Kofi Job, I am not just any small boy… you can’t talk to me like that,” he stated.

    In response to his statement, a police officer retorted, “If you can’t have patience and talk to us, sit in your car and drive away.”

    While questioning the authority of the police to impound the heavy machine, Kofi Job further threatened to take back the impounded machine.

    At that point, the police officer threatened him with arrest, saying, “Dare to go and sit in it and see if we won’t handcuff you. I dare you to sit in it and drive through here; we will put you in handcuffs. Clear off from your eyes, Kofi Job. You talk to the police just anyhow. How dare you?” The officer fumed at the end of the video.

    The richest contractor in Ghana ???????? vs the Ghana police pic.twitter.com/UG44ed79aG— Kwaku (@blackbeltbentum) May 24, 2023

  • Akyem Oda: Two siblings perish in abandoned swimming pool

    Akyem Oda: Two siblings perish in abandoned swimming pool

    Two siblings, 13-year-old Esther Dede and 6-year-old Kofi Asare have lost their lives after drowning in an isolated pool at Akyem Oda.

    Grace Asare, a trader and the single parent of the children recounting the incident to the Daily Graphic at Oda, revealed that the three children, including the deceased, had gone out to play near an abandoned pool situated close to a defunct sawmill.

    According to her, a four-year-old boy who was playing with Esther came to inform them that their ball had fallen into the pool, which was just a few meters away from their residence.

    Ms. Asare explained that Esther ventured to retrieve the ball but unfortunately fell into the pool. Distressed by his sister’s drowning, young Kofi attempted to rescue her, but tragically, both of them lost their lives.

    Overwhelmed with grief, Ms. Asare tearfully shared that Kofi had celebrated his fourth birthday earlier that day.

    However, some residents of the neighbourhood disputed Ms. Asare’s account, asserting that her negligence was responsible for the tragic loss of her two children.

    They claimed that when residents alerted Ms. Asare that her children were struggling for survival in the pool, she did not take the matter seriously and instead focused on preparing her supper.

    According to witnesses, it was only in the late evening that Ms. Asare realized her two children had not returned home. She promptly informed the neighbours, who joined her in a search for the children. Regrettably, they discovered the lifeless bodies of Esther and Kofi floating in the pool. Subsequently, a complaint was lodged with the Oda Police.

    Personnel from the Oda Police and the Ghana National Fire Service were called in, and they successfully retrieved the bodies from the pool. The authorities have deposited the remains at the Oda Government Hospital for autopsy and preservation.

  • Thieves using e-scooters and bicycles in UK stole 1,800 items last year – London Police

    Thieves using e-scooters and bicycles in UK stole 1,800 items last year – London Police

    Based on recently released statistics, the number of gadget thefts committed by users of electric scooters and bikes in London has nearly tripled in the past year.

    In the capital in 2022, burglars stole 108,900 devices, including about 90,000 mobile phones.

    This sum reflects an increase of approximately 40%; daily thefts from city residents and tourists amounted to about 300.

    Additionally, as the number of electric bikes and e-scooters on the streets has increased, so has the number of thieves taking advantage of them.

    Freedom of information requests commissioned by insurance company Direct Line found electric bikes were used in 1,397 gadget thefts last year.

    There were 424 carried out by people riding e-scooters too, meaning the number of thefts carried out by people riding the two vehicles rose by 185% in 2022.

    But the true number is likely to be even higher, as some victims will not report incidents to the police.

    Latest London news

    The statistics, supplied by Scotland Yard and City of London Police, also show the number of thefts involving knives and other weapons has jumped up.

    In 2021, there were 2,341 such incidents, but that figure rose by 6% to 2,480 last year.

    Even more people were injured by thieves carrying weapons too, with 180 recorded in the statistics.

    E-scooters can only be legally used on UK roads if they are rented as part of a government-backed trial scheme.

    In London, those schemes are currently running in ten boroughs:

    • Camden
    • City of London
    • Ealing
    • Hammersmith & Fulham
    • Kensington and Chelsea
    • Lambeth (north of the borough only)
    • Richmond upon Thames
    • Southwark
    • Tower Hamlets
    • Westminster

    The Metropolitan Police advises people to avoid texting while walking and to only use their phone for the briefest time possible on the street to limit opportunities for criminals.

    Last month, it was revealed that a phone was snatched by thieves every six minutes in London, with only 2% of them recovered.

  • Bloody night in Cardiff, as masked attackers burn cars and fought with police

    Bloody night in Cardiff, as masked attackers burn cars and fought with police

    After two teens died in a crash last night, rioting broke out on the streets of Cardiff, where more than 100 thugs set cars on fire and threw objects at police.

    In a confrontation with South Wales Police, the mob was captured on camera hurling pyrotechnics, paving stones, and even a door before storming towards the police with riot shields.

    Two cars were set on fire, and it’s claimed that rioters beat a bystander after mistaking them for an undercover police officer.

    Jane Palmer, the owner of a burnt out Ford Focus on Highmead Road, said she and her family watched from their window as rioters set fire to her car. She said: ‘I’m disabled so now I’m trapped without my car. Why are they doing this? It’s just silly now.’

    The chaos broke out after officers were called out to reports of a serious collision on Snowden Road at around 6pm.

    Alun Michael, the Police and Crime Commissioner in South Wales, said ‘something like a dozen’ were injured in the aftermath, adding it was lucky more were not seriously hurt.

    He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘My understanding is that there was a road traffic accident involving two teenagers on an off-road bike or scooter and sadly, they died.

    ‘That’s an incident obviously that is being investigated in its own right. And that appears to have sparked, for reasons that aren’t clear, the disorder… in which something like a dozen officers were injured.

    ‘Fortunately, none of them life-threatening, and the connection between the two is far from clear.

    ‘So obviously there’s going to be investigations going on this morning to try and establish what happened.

    ‘It would appear that there were rumours, and those rumours became rife, of a police chase, which wasn’t the case and I think it illustrates the speed with which rumours can run around with the activity that goes on social media nowadays, and that events can get out of hand.’

    John Urquhart, the general secretary of the UK Harmony Party, lives in Ely and witnessed the incident escalate from the start of the evening.

    He said a lack of communication from police to the community may have led to the escalation of the event.

    Mr Urquhart said: ‘The key thing right at the start was they did not communicate with the crowd, there was no attempt to communicate with the crowd and they showed nothing but disdain for the community and acted like we didn’t deserve to know what happened on our own doorstep.

    ‘There was nobody going through the crowd crucially, I think the police really needed people to be out talking to the community and putting their minds at ease.’

    Mr Urquhart, who has lived in the area for the last few years, said the situation started to escalate at around 8pm.

    He said the community in Ely is tight-knit, adding: ‘When you start to see it in context, it’s emotions that have built up and bottled up and eventually, I think the police just brought too many people or were too visible.’

    At 8.21pm, South Wales Police tweeted: ‘There is now a large number of officers working to manage the collision, but also to de-escalate ongoing disorder at the scene.

    ‘We urge anyone involved to leave the scene immediately and ask local residents to stay away while the matter is brought to a safe conclusion.’

    In an update at 1.10am, police said they were continuing to monitor and respond to ‘disorder in Ely’, adding: ‘A number of vehicles have been set alight. Arrests are being made. A large police presence remains in the area.’

    A man called Connor, who also lives in Highmead Road, said: ‘It’s been a mad night.

    ‘This is not the norm around here but people are pretty anti-police and that’s reflected on both sides, not that that’s my opinion.

    ‘Although we’ve been afflicted by this riot, I still understand it. When people have enough, this is what happens.’

    Rubbish and wheelie bins were set alight as well as cars by rioters as they continued to be moved through the streets by armoured police.

    Rioters gradually moved down Highmead Road in Ely, Cardiff, followed by police who were trying to disperse them.

    They continued to throw missiles and set cars alight.

    Another resident of Highmead Road, who did not want to be named, said: ‘Enough is enough now. This has gone beyond.

    ‘When people are making fun of what’s happening on social media it’s crossed a line.

    ‘This is our neighbourhood and those doing this are just kids. It needs to stop.’

  • Police to hold peaceful by-election in Kumawu

    Police to hold peaceful by-election in Kumawu

    The Ghana Police Service has assured residents of Kumawu and its environs in the Ashanti region that the upcoming by-election will be held peacefully on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.

    According to the Police, adequate security arrangements have been put in place to maintain law and order as well as ensure peace and security before, during and after the Kumawu constituency be-election.

    “Adequate Police personnel have been deployed to Kumawu and the other communities within the Constituency to support the local Police to provide security for the election,” Director Public Affairs, ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi explained in statement dated May 22, 2023.

    Attached is the full statement

  • Two arrested and 15 dogs being taken into custody following the death of a father

    Two arrested and 15 dogs being taken into custody following the death of a father

    ‘Well-loved’ dad was mauled to death, leading to two arrests and the seizure of 15 dogs.
    In response to Jonathan Hogg‘s passing, police have detained two people and seized a pack of dogs.

    Following a dog attack in Leigh’s Westleigh Lane, the 37-year-old died.

    After being mauled by the animal, which was thought to be an XL bully, on Thursday night, Mr. Hogg had severe head and neck injuries.

    Today, the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said there had been two arrests and the seizure of 15 dogs.

    A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog causing injury resulting in death, while a 22-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of money laundering.

    Both have been bailed pending further enquiries.

    GMP Detective Chief Inspector, John Davies said: ‘Our investigations into this violent attack are moving at a pace, as our officers work relentlessly to understand the events that led to Jonathan’s death.

    ‘GMP officers searched two houses and seized 15 dogs (six adults and nine puppies) believed to be the same breed as that which attacked Jonathan. These dogs are now being cared for at a specialist facility.

    Armed police shot dead a 'dangerous' dog after it mauled a man to death. Officers were scrambled to a property in Leigh last night (Thursday) after the 'dangerously out of control' dog launched a ferocious attack on a man.
    Armed police were deployed to the scene Leigh on Thursday night (Picture: MEN Media)

    ‘Items totalling a value of £37,500 believed to be the result of criminal proceeds have been seized. 

    ‘Dangerous dogs do not have a place in our communities, and we want to reassure the public that we are doing everything in our power to keep people safe.’

    The dog who killed Mr Hogg was shot by armed police following the incident.

    Last night, his family said in a statement released by police: ‘Jonathan was a well-loved, sensitive, and kind person who will never know how loved and appreciated he was by everyone who knew him.

    ‘We have been inundated with messages of support and we ask for privacy at this time to come to terms with our loss.’

    Dozens of friends of Mr Hogg, known affectionately as ‘Oggy’, also left tributes on Facebook.

    Olivia Marsden wrote: ‘Can’t believe what I’m reading! Rest in peace Oggy.’

    Another, Amber Rose, wrote: ‘RIP Oggy! So so sad… thinking of you.’

    Ella Rose posted: ‘RIP Oggy, absolutely lost for words,’ adding that she was ‘thinking of the kids and all the family at this awful time’.

    Police had been called to the Westleigh Lane property at around 9.10pm on Thursday following reports of ‘concern for the welfare’ of a man.

    When officers arrived, they found Mr Hogg had suffered serious injuries believed to be caused by a dog which was ‘dangerously out of control’.

  • A boy, 4, and mother murdered in a car accident

    A boy, 4, and mother murdered in a car accident

    A four-year-old kid who perished in a horrific crash in Worcestershire along with his mother and her friend has been identified.

    On May 10, a collision killed Keegan Fettis, his mother Gemma Hobbins, 32, and Cody Smith, 28. They all passed away suddenly.

    The collision happened outside of the Duke William Pub in Callow Hill on the A456. It happened on a country road.

    At 10.15 p.m., Gemma, Keegan, and Cody were driving a blue Ford Focus in the direction of Kidderminster when they collided with a black Audi A7 travelling the opposite way.

    A silver Volkswagen Golf and a black Vauxhall Vectra, which have been recovered by police, are also believed to have been involved in the fatal crash.

    Despite desperate attempts by emergency crews to save the victims, from theKidderminster and Stourport areas, they all died at the scene.

    Police say Gemma’s family have been left ‘completely devastated’ by the tragedy.

    In a statement, West Mercia Police said: ‘Gemma’s family said they wanted to thank the emergency services and those that tried to help.

    ‘They said she was much loved by all the family.

    ‘About Keegan, they said they were completely devastated, struggled to find any words to express their grief but they are completely devastated.

    ‘Cody’s family said she will be missed so much by all who loved her including her father, sister, nieces and nephews along with all the rest of the family.

    ‘They said she was the life of the party.’

    A woman and two children who were in the Audi were taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital with minor injuries.

    Three men aged 31, 25, 18 and a boy aged 17 were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and have since been bailed.

  • Nigerian Police rescue 2 kidnapped during attack on US convoy

    Nigerian Police rescue 2 kidnapped during attack on US convoy

    Police in Nigeria have successfully rescued two kidnapped US embassy staff without any harm after a recent attack that claimed the lives of seven other individuals who were traveling in the same convoy.

    The attack took place on Tuesday in the district of Ogbaru, located in the south-eastern part of the country. This particular area has been placed under a curfew for the past year due to safety concerns.

    According to a local official, the assailants opened fire on the vehicles and set them ablaze, resulting in the victims being burnt beyond recognition.

    The identity of the gunmen remains unclear at this time. However, some officials have attributed the attack to Igbo separatist fighters associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), a group known to operate in the region. Ipob has not responded to these allegations as of yet.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, who leaves office later this month after pledging and failing to end Nigeria’s security crisis, says his government is “committed to fishing out” the culprits behind Tuesday’s attack.

    No US citizen was among the victims and there are “no indications at this time that it was targeted against our mission”, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

    Of the seven people killed on Tuesday, three were Nigerian staff at the US embassy and four were security escorts. The two people who were abducted, then released, have not been publicly identified by police.

    “Operations are still ongoing and further details shall be communicated,” says Anambra state police spokesman Ikenga Tochukwu.

  • Police investigate alleged chieftaincy feud-related gunshots in Tamale

    Police investigate alleged chieftaincy feud-related gunshots in Tamale

    Police in the Northern Region are looking into an incident that resulted in gunshots in Yong Dakpemyili, an area in the Tamale Metropolis.

    Sources in the community say there were gunshots in the town on Thursday, May 18, 2023.

    They attributed the shooting incident to a long-standing chieftaincy dispute between two brothers in the community.

    The Assemblyman for the community, Abdul Wahab Dawuda confirmed the incident in a Citi News interview disclosing that some residents sustained injuries.

    “There were some gunshots as a result of two brothers feuding over a chieftaincy title. One side was to perform some particular traditional activity and some people sustained some injuries, but there is currently calm in the community, but we don’t know what may happen next.”

    Sources within the Northern Regional Police Command have revealed that, the police visited the community to restore calm and order, but no arrest has been made.

    Despite the restoration of calm, residents are still living in fear and socioeconomic activities have slowed down significantly.

    Both sides of the conflict have recorded deaths, injuries and the burning and destruction of properties running into several thousands of Ghana Cedis over the years.

  • Criminal clearance services across the country decentralized

    Criminal clearance services across the country decentralized

    As a first step toward full automation, the Ghana Police Service has decentralised criminal clearance services across the country.

    In a statement, the Police explained that the decentralisation process is a part of the Service’s transformational agenda to improve the delivery of policing services to the public.

    “Effective Monday, 22nd May 2023, persons seeking criminal clearance can do so in any of the 25 Police regions across the country.”

    Currently, all criminal background checks are conducted exclusively at the CID Headquarters, Accra, and individuals and organisations who require this service have to travel all the way to Accra just for this purpose.

    “In order to ease this burden, the criminal clearance service has been decentralized to all the twenty-five (25) Police Regions across the country and the service can now be assessed from these locations without the need to come to Accra.”

    Currently, the Ghana Police Service has twenty-five (25) Police Regional Commands across the country where this service can be assessed. These are:
    • Ahafo Regional Police Command-Goaso
    • Bono Regional Police Command-Sunyani
    • Bono East Regional Police Command-Techiman
    • Ashanti Regional Police Command -Kumasi
    • Ashanti South Regional Police Command -Bekwai
    • Ashanti North Regional Police Command-Mampong
    • Tema Regional Police Command-Tema
    • Central Regional Police Command -Cape Coast
    • Central East Regional Police Command -Kasoa
    • Central North Regional Police Command-Assin Fosu
    • Eastern Regional Police Command-Koforidua
    • Eastern South Regional Police Command-Kibi
    • Eastern North-Mpraeso
    • Northern Regional Police Command -Tamale
    • North-East-Nalerigu
    • Savanah-Damango
    • Upper East Regional Police Command -Bolga
    • Upper West Regional Police Command-Wa
    • Volta Regional Police Command-Ho
    • Volta North Regional Police Command-Hohoe,
    • Oti Regional Police Command-Dambai
    • Western Regional Police Command-Takoradi
    • Western Central Regional Police Command-Tarkwa
    • Western North Regional Police Command-Sewi Wiawso
    • Accra-Nima Police Station

    The decentralisation of the criminal clearance process is expected to make the service more accessible and convenient for individuals across the country, thereby bringing another policing service closer to the doorstep of the public.

  • Self-styled preacher who wanted to deliver prophetic message to president arrested

    Self-styled preacher who wanted to deliver prophetic message to president arrested

    A self-proclaimed preacher who recently said he wanted to meet President William Ruto to deliver a prophetic message has been arrested by Police in western Kenya.

    Joseph Chenge of Jerusalem Mowar Church was arrested on Wednesday evening alongside 11 members of his church in Ruri village, Homa Bay county.

    Homa Bay criminal investigations officer Abed Kavoo said they were holding Mr Chenge in suspicion of promoting questionable religious teachings.

    Mr Kavoo said preliminary investigations had revealed that the cleric was detaining sick people at his church in the guise of praying for them. Five patients were rescued from the preacher’s church, local media reported.

    Police said Chenge’s church operations were illegal, as it was not registered. The preacher and the arrested members of his church are due to appear in court on Thursday.

    On Sunday, Mr Chenge told journalists that something unfortunate may happen to the country if he failed to meet President Ruto within 21 days.

    The arrest of the preacher comes amid a crackdown on suspicious churches in Kenya, following the death of more than 200 in a doomsday cult in coastal Kilifi county.

  • Kenyan preacher who sought to meet president was detained

    Kenyan preacher who sought to meet president was detained

    Police in western Kenya have detained a self-proclaimed preacher who recently stated his desire to see President William Ruto in order to deliver a prophetic message.

    Joseph Chenge of Jerusalem Mowar Church was arrested on Wednesday evening alongside 11 members of his church in Ruri village, Homa Bay county.

    Homa Bay criminal investigations officer Abed Kavoo said they were holding Mr Chenge in suspicion of promoting questionable religious teachings.

    Mr Kavoo said preliminary investigations had revealed that the cleric was detaining sick people at his church in the guise of praying for them. Five patients were rescued from the preacher’s church, local media reported.

    Police said Chenge’s church operations were illegal, as it was not registered. The preacher and the arrested members of his church are due to appear in court on Thursday.

    On Sunday, Mr Chenge told journalists that something unfortunate may happen to the country if he failed to meet President Ruto within 21 days.

    The arrest of the preacher comes amid crackdown on suspicious churches in Kenya, following the death of more than 200 in a doomsday cult in coastal Kilifi county.

  • Boy, 4, and man, 38, discovered dead in a room

    Boy, 4, and man, 38, discovered dead in a room

    At a house in Scotland, a four-year-old boy’s body was discovered.

    On Monday, May 15, around 8 p.m., Kayden Frank’s body was found at a property on Argyle Street.

    Following a complaint of concern, police arrived at the residence.

    At the location, Kayden’s body was discovered. His death is being investigated as murder following a post mortem.

    A 38-year-old man was also found dead at the home. Police say his death is not being treated as suspicious.

    Man and boy found dead at flat in Paisley 17/5/2023 Picture - Police at scene. Argyle St Paisley Photographer - Stephen Gibson /Buchanan Photos ?? 2023UK
    Police at scene on Argyle Street, Paisley on Monday (Picture: Stephen Gibson/Buchanan Photos)

    At this time, detectives have no information to suggest anyone else has been involved.

    Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Thomson, of the Major Investigation Team, said: ‘Our thoughts are with Kayden’s family and friends, along with everyone affected by this tragedy.

    ‘We are providing his family with specialist support at this incredibly difficult time and officers are continuing enquiries to try and get some answers for them.

    ‘Kayden’s family have requested that their privacy is respected at this time.’

    A report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal and enquiries are ongoing.

  • 3 Sonko supporters dead after clash with Police in Senegal

    3 Sonko supporters dead after clash with Police in Senegal

    Clashes between Senegalese police and supporters of opposition politician Ousmane Sonko have resulted in the death of three individuals.

    The protests erupted on Monday in Dakar, the capital, and the southern city of Ziguinchor ahead of Sonko’s scheduled court appearance.

    Sonko, who is facing rape allegations, has denied the charges and did not appear for the latest hearing, causing a one-week adjournment.

    His allies claim that the case is a political maneuver designed to prevent his candidacy in the upcoming presidential election.

    Authorities have stated that one of the deceased individuals was a police officer who was accidentally crushed by an armored vehicle.

  • Missing girl discovered dead with a murdered British teenager in Thailand

    Missing girl discovered dead with a murdered British teenager in Thailand

    Police have discovered the body of a missing 15-year-old girl who was last seen riding a motorbike with a slain British adolescent.

    A shallow tomb containing Suraphltchaya Khamsa was found in a wooded area today about three kilometres from where Woramet Ben Taota, 16, was found on May 7.

    Chaiwat ‘Wat’ Boongarin, a convicted felon, has acknowledged to killing the youngster known as Ben while denying killing Suraphltchaya. He did so by stating the boy had stolen drugs from him.

    Boongarin, who is in custody, is likely to face the death penalty if convicted of either or both cases.

    Ben grew up in a remote village in northern Thailand near Lampang – close to where his body was found -with his Thai mother Ooy Taota. But he has a British father, businessman Stephen Graham, who shares his time between the UK and Thailand, reports the Daily Mail.

    The devastated family say Ben and Suraphltchaya have known each other since they were young and ‘were close’ and that police believe Suraphltchaya was dating Boongarin. They suspect Ben got involved with Boongarin and his drugs through her.

    They think the girl, who was said to be addicted to methamphetamine pills and getting her supply from the thug, had been used to help lure Ben to Boongarin before they were both killed.

    Police have today found the dead body of the missing girlfriend of a British teenager who was murdered in northern Thailand - with the alleged killer facing the death penalty over the double murder. Officers discovered Suraphltchaya Khamsa, 16, buried in a shallow grave in woodland around three miles from where Woramet Ben Taota, 16, (PICTURED) was discovered on May 7. Her parents and grandparents identified her body at the scene from the braces on her teeth and the jewelry she had been wearing. They broke down in tears when it emerged that their daughter had been murdered.??????Police are now continuing to interrogate sex crimes convict Chaiwat Boongarin, 44, who allegedly admitted killing Ben but denies murdering Suraphltchaya, whose nickname was Ping Pong. He is likely to face the death penalty if convicted of either or both cases. ???PACKAGE: Video, pictures, text
    Ben’s devastated father Stephen described his son as polite, handsome and charming (Picture: ViralPress)

    Suraphltchaya’s parents and grandparents identified her body, breaking down in tears when it emerged she’d also been murdered.

    Police said she had signs of bruising on her face that suggested she’d been hit a number of times with a hard object.

    Speaking about the suspected killer, Mr Graham said he was a prolific drug dealer and an ‘evil’ man.

    The boy’s father flew out to Thailand when the tragedy unfolded and on Wednesday confronted Boongarin during a chaotic crime reconstruction.

    Mr Campbell yelled ‘look me in the eye, you cowards’ and ‘may you rot in hell’ at the alleged murderer while he was being taken on a ‘perp walk’ or crime reconstruction, which will form evidence for the prosecution.

    He told the Mail: ‘Usually I am very English and reserved about my emotions and my anger.

    ‘But after spending that long flight from the UK thinking about my beloved Ben I was just grabbed by the throat by the situation. I used some terrible words. It just flowed out of me.’

    He described his son as polite, charming and handsome, but naive and ‘like all 16-year-olds’ did stupid things and tragically got himself involved with Boongarin.

    Through tears, Ben’s mother Ms Taota said her son as her heart and soul.

    Suraphltchaya and Ben were last seen together riding a motorcycle on Saturday evening, May 6, after visiting her grandfather earlier in the afternoon.

    Ben was found dead the next morning with severe head wounds. His body had been dumped in woodland but had not been buried. His phone and cash from his wallet were missing.

    A police search for Suraphltchaya followed as investigators battled to piece together the case.

    Boongarin was arrested after being identified from CCTV riding a black Honda motorcycle around the area at the time of the death.

    He confessed to the killing and said his motive was revenge for a drug deal in which the youngster had stolen tablets. He said, however, someone else killed Suraphltchaya.

    Police major general Mongkol Sampawapol, commander of Lampang Provincial Police, said: ‘We suspect that the suspect is responsible for both murders.

    ‘However, police will also continue investigating the deaths to check if anybody else was involved.

    ‘The female victim’s body is now being sent to hospital for an autopsy to find traces of rape or sexual assault, because the suspect has a history of these crimes.’

  • St. Bernadette Technical Institute shutdown temporarily

    St. Bernadette Technical Institute shutdown temporarily

    Management of St. Bernadette Technical Institute has shutdown the institution following a riot by its students.

    Per reports, the students went on rampage after being refused from holding an inter-ethnic football match.

    Municipal Chief Executive for Navrongo Municipality Joseph Adongo who confirmed the incident noted that the school sought police intervention.

    The Police clashed with the students and this led to some four officers sustaining injuries.

    Among the victims is Navrongo Municipal Police Commander ASP Kingsley Kanda. The quartet are reportedly receiving treatment at the Wa Memorial Hospital in Navrongo

  • How an Immigration Officer saved two police men in a church at Sefwi Wiawso

    How an Immigration Officer saved two police men in a church at Sefwi Wiawso

    An immigration officer is said to have saved two police officers who were in danger of being killed on Saturday in Sefwi Wiawso, Western North Region, after they were assigned to attend to a church’s distress call.

    A man who was allegedly attacking worshipers at the Anglican Church in Sefwi Wiawso subdued the police officers.

    An inspector and corporal might have been killed by a violent attacker who is currently being held by police if it weren’t for the quick action of AICOII Nurudeen Abul-Ganiew Takra, an immigration officer stationed at the Western North Regional Immigration Office.

    The immigration officer reported to the office and was on his way home from town when he spotted some activity outside the Anglican Church Park close to the Wiawso District Police Stations, according to the Western Regional Immigration Service Commander ACI Augustus Acheampong.

    He approached the situation out of curiosity and found a police officer with the rank of Inspector lying unconscious on the ground and a corporal being attacked with an AK-47 rifle. The attacker struck the corporal in the head before he could approach, knocking him out as well.

    With both officers on the ground and onlookers scared to get closer, the attacker was emboldened to attempt to pick up the rifle to cause more havoc but Nurudeen was quicker to pick the AK 47.

    “The attacker advanced violently towards Nurudeen with a pestle. Sensing danger, he fired a warning shot but the attacker did not retreat and kept advancing and actually attempted to hit him with the pestle.  With extreme caution, because the crowd was building up, he shot the attacker’s right thigh to immobilize him. The noise and commotion attracted a number of people including Police Officers to the scene who assisted to arrest the attacker. The items retrieved from him include a sharp knife, locally made catapult, and a pestle which he used to attack his victims,” a situational report from the Immigration Service said.

    An attempt by the violent attacker to take hold of an AK 47 rifle belonging to the police was foiled by Mr Nurudeen in the scuffle.

    “The two Police Officers and the attacker have since been taken to the Wiawso Municipal Hospital for medical attention.

    A formal report has been made and the AK 47 rifle handed over to the Wiawso District Police for further action. You will be apprised of any new developments on the matter,” the report added.

  • NDC Primaries: Police clash with delegates at Adentan

    NDC Primaries: Police clash with delegates at Adentan

    A minor altercation occurred between police officers and delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the voting center in the Adentan constituency.

    According to reports from GhanaWeb, there was a brief moment of disorder as some delegates were denied entry by the security personnel, leading to conflicting instructions from the police officers present.

    The situation escalated when a later officer overturned an earlier order allowing delegates to enter, further agitating the already charged delegates.

    However, calm was restored after a meeting between the security team and the party’s constituency leadership.

    More than 2,700 delegates are expected to cast their votes at the De Youngsters School Center, and some have already done so.

    The race for the Adentan seat is keenly contested, with three strong contenders vying for the position.

    The incumbent Member of Parliament, Mohammed Adamu Ramadan, faces stiff competition from two opponents:

    Former Minister of Gender, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, and young youth activist Linda Awuni. All three candidates have expressed their confidence in securing victory.

    The Adentan seat has a unique record of not having a political party win more than one term in parliament.

  • UK-based Ghanaian stabs friend over lover

    UK-based Ghanaian stabs friend over lover

    An 18-year-old Uk-based Ghanaian lady, Princess Owusu Ansah, has allegedly stabbed and poured boiling water on her friend in response to claims of having an affair with her lover.

    The distressing episode unfolded when a video clip captured by Owusu Ansah on her mobile phone went viral on Snapchat.

    The footage depicted the victim cowering under a duvet, screaming in agony as Owusu Ansah threw a kettle of boiling water over her.

    Moments prior to the assault, Owusu Ansah is heard accusing her friend of engaging in relationships with other people’s partners and acting as though she could escape the consequences. After delivering a series of punches, she proceeded to pick up a silver knife, striking it against a radiator before stabbing her victim in the leg.

    The attack took place on February 2, 2023, at the victim’s residence in the Dog Kennel Estate, Dulwich. Eventually managing to escape, the injured woman fled into the street and was later treated at Kings College Hospital for non-life-threatening stab wounds.

    Members of the public who had seen the disturbing video on Snapchat promptly alerted the Metropolitan Police.

    In March, Owusu Ansah, hailing from Royston, pleaded guilty to charges of grievous bodily harm and criminal damage during her appearance at Inner London Crown Court.

    On May 9, during her subsequent court appearance, Owusu Ansah received a three-year prison sentence for the heinous assault.

  • Father confronts ‘killer’ of his teenage son in Thailand

    Father confronts ‘killer’ of his teenage son in Thailand

    The father of a British teenager who was killed in Thailand confronted the person who is accused of killing his son there.

    To assist with the inquiry into the passing of Woramet Ben Taota, 16, who was known to friends as Ben, 60-year-old Steven Graham flew out from his home in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

    Inflicted with severe head wounds and facial cuts, Ben was found on May 7 in a grove in his hometown of Lampang in the country’s north.

    Chaiwat Boonkarin, 44, was charged with his murder after reportedly confessing to the killing, telling police he bludgeoned him with a piece of wood during a drugs dispute. 

    Handcuffed and wearing a bulletproof vest, he was taken to the secluded spot in dense woodland where Ben was found on Sunday. 

    Mr Graham, wearing a blue t-shirt and glasses, approached the police car saying: ‘Scum, look at me. Look me in the eye. Look me in the eye you b*****d.’ 

    Shaking with rage, he then yells: ‘Take his mask off, I want to see his face. You’re a coward. You’re a coward. F*****g look at me you b*****d.  

    ‘No, you can’t look at me, you’re a coward. Look, look at me. You b*****d.’ 

    He was comforted by Ben’s mother Ooy Taota, who also yelled at the suspected killer, along with several relatives. 

    Speaking at the scene, Mr Graham said: ‘I just want to throttle him. He’s evil. He’s pure evil, scum.’ 

    Ooy added: ‘I cannot understand what happened. My son was a good boy, now he will never grow up. I hope the murderer dies in prison.’ 

    Chaiwat, who police said was recently released from prison for sex crimes, reportedly told police he lured Ben to the forest and attacked him in revenge for a bungled drug deal. 

    He was said to have claimed Ben and his girlfriend Suraphltchaya Khamsa, 16, who is still missing, were methamphetamine runners for him but stole a consignment. 

    Police Major General Mongkol Sampawapol, commander of Lampang Provincial Police, said: ‘The (suspected) killer was angry because he believed that Ben kept drugs for himself and his girlfriends, so he hit the victim with a stick several times until he died. 

    ‘He is a criminal. He has been in prison before. He will be charged with murder.’ 

    Police officers from the Mae Tha district said they received a report on Sunday morning that the teenager had been found dead in a grove in the Ban Than district. 

    Officers found in his black shoulder bag a smartphone charger and a red wallet containing his ID card and bank card.  

    His smartphone and cash were missing, with police suggesting he could have been robbed for the gadgets and money. 

    Officers believe Ben was killed elsewhere and dumped in the woods, as there were no signs of struggle where his remains were found.  

    They said he had head injuries consistent with severe trauma. 

  • Woman shot to dead after being ‘held captive’ in house

    Woman shot to dead after being ‘held captive’ in house

    A 36-year-old lady was shot during a possible hostage situation in Kent, and she later passed away in the hospital.

    At 12:40 PM on Saturday, Priory Road in Dartford received a call from the police reporting a disturbance in a home there.

    Officers and a professional mediator were dispatched to the location, and they made an effort to talk to the 29-year-old guy inside.

    The woman sustained injuries while they were on the scene, which are thought to have been brought on by a firearm.

    She was taken to a hospital in London, but died yesterday afternoon.

    The man also suffered a firearms injury, and remains in a critical condition in hospital.

    Kent Police said he was being treated as the suspect.

    Investigators from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate are now treating the firearms incident as murder following the woman’s death.

    The police said in a statement: ‘Anyone with information which may assist the investigation should call Kent Police on 01474 366149, quoting reference 46/80922/23.

    ‘You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 5551111 or by using the online form on their website.’

    Witnesses on Saturday afternoon described how police cordoned off the road and ordered people to stay inside their homes, before officers broke through the front door.

    One woman, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘I was in the house and my husband and two girls were out – they couldn’t get back home.

    ‘I went out and was told “get back – you must stay indoors”.

    ‘I went to the garden where I could see more.’

    About an hour after police entered the property, she said she heard gunshots before a person was carried out on a stretcher.

    She said: ‘It was pandemonium, I heard five gunshots – a pause and then another five.’

  • Police discover 16-year-old British boy’s body in woods while looking for a missing girlfriend

    Police discover 16-year-old British boy’s body in woods while looking for a missing girlfriend

    A British youngster who had repeatedly been “bashed in the head” with a blunt weapon was discovered dead in a Thai forest.

    Woramet Ben Taota, a dual citizen, went motorcycle riding with his fiancée on Saturday in the province of Lampang, but neither of them came home.

    The following morning, in the Ban Than district, police discovered the 16-year-old’s bloody body in a grove.

    Officers continue the search for his missing girlfriend, Yam, who is the same age.

    A British teenager is believed to have been brutally murdered and dumped in a forest in Thailand as police searched today for his missing girlfriend. Dual nationality Woramet Ben Taota, 16, (PICTURED) went for a motorcycle ride with the girl named Yam, 16, in Lampang province on May 6 evening, but neither of them returned to their homes. Police officers from the Mae Tha district said they received a report the following day on Sunday morning that the teenager, known to friends as Ben, had been found dead in a grove in the Ban Than district.??????PACKAGE: Pictures, text
    Woramet Ben Taota, 16, was a dual national (Picture: ViralPress)

    Ben, as the victim was known to his friends, was discovered on the ground, next to some bushes.

    His head and face were covered in blood after he was reportedly bashed in the head repeatedly with a blunt object, police said.

    His smartphone charger and a red wallet with his ID card and bank card were still in his black backpack, but his mobile and cash were missing.

    Police believe Ben was robbed and killed in another location before his body was dumped in the forest.

    Colonel Sittisak Singtongla, from the Mae Tha Police, said: ‘The investigating team went to the area and found the victim with blood stains all over his face.

    ‘The face and head were found to have been beaten with a hard object until swelling and bruising was caused.

    ‘There was also a deep wound in his face. The body has been taken to hospital for an autopsy.

    ‘We are currently tracking down individuals close to the victim, including his female companion. She is a key figure in this case since she is the last person to see him alive.’

    Ben’s mother, Ooy Taota, told police that her son had said goodbye on Saturday evening, telling her he was ‘going to work with friends’ but he did not give any more details.

    Colonel Sittisak said the motive of the killing remains unclear, adding that nothing has been riled out at such an early stage of the investigation.

  • It is legal for a driver to carry a photocopied driving license – Lawyer to police

    It is legal for a driver to carry a photocopied driving license – Lawyer to police

    A private legal practitioner, Kofi Bentil, has said that it is illegal for police to confiscate a vehicle over the driver’s inability to provide the original driving license at the time.

    Speaking to the media he said “carrying a photocopy of a drivers license is entirely lawful as a prima facie proof of the existence of that license. The Police can request that the original be produced in 24hours without impounding the car”.

    “The law in Ghana does not allow you to impound cars because the driver doesn’t have his or her license with them. the car is not evidence in that context!! there is no probable cause or justification for impounding the vehicle,” he added.

    Mr Bentil indicated that the law in Ghana allows the driver to produce the license in 24 hours.

    “You don’t have any right to amend that on your whims,” he told the Police.

    Some police officers have been reported to have impounded vehicles that the drivers did not have the original copies of the lives on them.

    But Mr Bentil who is also Vice President of Imani Africa said in a Facebook post that “If you continue infringing peoples rights like these, one of these days someone will sue the Ghana Police for impounding their vehicle without probable cause and take damages for distress and loss of use from the Police (Not DVLA).”

    Beos is his full statement…

    Dear GHANA POLICE / DVLA

    1. The LAW in Ghana DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO IMPOUND CARS BECAUSE THE DRIVER DOES NOT HAVE A LICENSE ON HIM!! the car is NOT Evidence in that context!! there is no probable cause or justification for impounding the vehicle.
    2. The law in Ghana allows the driver to produce their license in 24 hours. You dont have any right to amend that on your whims.
    3. Carrying a photocopy of a drivers license is entirely lawful as a prima facie proof of the existence of that license. The Police can request that the original be produced in 24hours WITHOUT IMPOUNDING THE CAR.

    If you continue infringing peoples rights like these, one of these days someone will sue the Ghana Police for impounding their vehicle without probable cause and take damages for distress and loss of use from the Police (Not DVLA).

    YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE SYSTEM (AND I BELIEVE YOU DO) TO TAKE THE PERSONS PARTICULARS AND REQUEST THEM TO REPORT AT A POLICE STATION WITH THE NECESSARY PAPERS FAILING WHICH YOU CAN CAUSE THEIR ARREST.

    DONT BREAK THE LAW TO ENFORCE THE LAW!!

  • A driver’s vehicle seized after 50 years of unlicensed driving

    A driver’s vehicle seized after 50 years of unlicensed driving

    A pensioner’s luck has finally ran out after it was revealed that he had been driving without a license for 50 years when his automobile was stopped.

    On Saturday, May 6, Derbyshire Police road policing officers stopped the vehicle for a number of offenses.

    They then learned that the 69-year-old driver had never passed his test or received a license, meaning he had been operating a vehicle unlawfully for fifty years.

    He had been deceiving auto insurance companies into believing he had a license the entire time, and it appears that he had been bragging about his elaborate scheme, which ultimately brought him to justice.

    A statement from the unit shared on Twitter said: ‘The driver of this vehicle has never passed a test despite being 69 years old and having been driving for over 50 years.

    ‘He has systematically provided details to insurance companies indicating that he had a licence but the flaw in his dastardly plan was bragging.

    ‘His long reign came to an abrupt end once we found out. Vehicle seized and driver reported for numerous offences.’

    Paul Farley, of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, commented: ‘Finally, brought a totally unacceptable reign to an end.

    ‘The bit he was missing was had he been involved in a collision and we paid out on a claim, we would’ve come back to him for the total cost of that claim.’

    The statement has drawn mixed reactions, with some questioning how the driver managed to get away with it for 50 years.

    Steve said: ‘It’s not a good look for the system, he’s managed to carry out his entire life without being caught before, even in todays ANPR world he’s evaded the system for years. Sadly, this one may encourage other chancers as odds of being caught are low.’

    In contrast, Joe said: ‘Probably a far better driver than many road users, he’s avoided the police for 50 years… the UK would benefit from having more drivers like this on the road!’

  • Police investigate butchering of tenant’s son

    Police investigate butchering of tenant’s son

    Investigations have been launched by police in the Ashanti Region over the alleged slaughtering of an infant by a landlord’s son.

    Reports indicate that the suspect killed the toddler after he had an altercation with the child’s father, who is a tenant in their house.

    The incident happened at Adankwame within the Atwima Nwabiagya North District of the Ashanti Region on Friday, 5th May 2023.

    The suspect, who has only been identified as Emmanuel, also inflicted machete wounds on the deceased’s father and sister who are battling for their lives at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

    “My husband left for work in the morning and returned home in the evening between 4pm and 5pm. My son ran to hug his father to welcome him. It was around that time that our landlord’s son who was wielding a machete confronted my husband. He butchered my son and my husband. He also attacked my daughter who attempted to save my son. We then had to run away. All three persons have been sent to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The toddler who is one year and four months old has however died,” Janet Owusuwaa, mother of the toddler said.

  • UK police under fire for how they handled the anti-monarchy protests

    UK police under fire for how they handled the anti-monarchy protests

    A top official in the UK government has defended the Metropolitan Police’s tactics during the anti-monarchy demonstrations that took place in London on Saturday, stating that officers had to make “tough calls” during King Charles III’s coronation in a day that saw 52 arrests.

    It follows criticism of the much-maligned Metropolitan Police for what many saw to be a harsh stance towards demonstrators. Human rights organisations and a number of opposition MPs have denounced the police’s behaviour.

    Although the right to demonstrate is still “really important” in a democracy, UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer noted that protesters’ strategies have changed in recent years to disrupt people going about their daily lives.

    She told the BBC that officers had to make “tough calls” on a case-by-case basis, while taking into consideration the significance of the occasion on Saturday.

    Frazer said the police were tasked with balancing people’s right to protest with overseeing an international event on the world stage.

    Criticism of the Metropolitan Police, the UK’s largest force, comes amid growing concern over the increase in police powers to stifle dissent in Britain, following the recent introduction of controversial pieces of legislation.

    In the days leading up to the historic event, the force said its “tolerance for any disruption, whether through protest or otherwise, will be low,” adding: “We will deal robustly with anyone intent on undermining this celebration.”

    Thousands gathered in central London on Saturday to celebrate the once-in-a-generation occasion. But it also drew demonstrators, with protesters wearing yellow T-shirts booing and shouting “Not My King” throughout the morning.

    Republic, Britain’s largest anti-monarchy group, told CNN Saturday that police – without providing any reason – arrested organizers of the anti-monarchy protest.

    At around 7 a.m. (2 a.m. ET) police stopped six of Republic’s organizers and told them they were detaining and searching them, Republic director Harry Stratton said.

    “They didn’t say why they were arresting them. They didn’t tell them or us where they were taking them. It really is like something out of a police state,” Stratton said.

    Graham Smith, the chief executive of Republic, was among those detained. He was later released from police detention.

    “I have been told many times the monarch is there to defend our freedoms. Now our freedoms are under attack in his name,” Smith said on Twitter.

    Labour lawmaker Chris Bryant posted on Twitter Saturday: “Freedom of speech is the silver thread that runs through a parliamentary constitutional monarchy.”

    Jess Phillips, also a Labour lawmaker, said on Twitter: “Our nation and our King is not so fragile as to not be able to take harmless protest of a different view.”

    UK director of Human Rights Watch, Yasmine Ahmed, described the police’s actions as alarming and “something you would expect to see in Moscow, not London.”

    The Met said arrests were made on Saturday for offenses including affray, public order offenses, breach of the peace and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

    Defending the force’s actions,Commander Karen Findlay said that, while they “absolutely understand public concern,” police also “have a duty to intervene when protest becomes criminal and may cause serious disruption.”

    Members of environmental activist group Just Stop Oil were also arrested on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace, the UK’s PA Media news agency reported, adding that a large group of the protesters were seen in handcuffs.

    According to PA, Animal Rising said some of its supporters were apprehended on Saturday while at a training session “miles away from the coronation.” A spokesman for the campaign group, Nathan McGovern, described the arrests as “nothing short of a totalitarian crackdown on free speech and all forms of dissent.”

  • Minerals Commission CEO reveals how small-scale mining task force arrested 3 Yemenis in Oda

    Minerals Commission CEO reveals how small-scale mining task force arrested 3 Yemenis in Oda

    The CEO of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi has disclosed that on Monday, May 1, the small-scale mining task force in Oda arrested three Yemenis in the area.

    He said that the Commission has involved the police to undertake the necessary procedures to prosecute the perpetrators.

    “Just this Monday, the holiday, the small scale task force and the Minerals Commission office in Oda arrested three Yemenis and then impounded two excavators, which are now parked at the police station.”

    However, Mr Ayisi further indicated that upon the arrest, the Chief of the area visited the office of the task force and claimed ownership of the mining site that was being used by the Yemenis.

    He told the host of Newsfile, Samson Lardey Anyenini, “Then a chief showed up, says, ‘ɛha yɛ medeɛ —this is my site.’

    “So quickly, the police arrested them. The locals who were working fled. They’ve been arrested. We got the authorities involved. I think they’ve been granted a police inquiry bill.”

    Mr Ayisi then emphasised that the fight against galamsey seemed unprogressive because influential people in society were involved in the operation, explaining that if persons such as the chief are not prosecuted and subjected to the full rigours of the law, they will be viewed by citizens as having impunity.

    This perception, he pointed out, would make citizens also believe that if they engage in galamsey, they can get away with their crime.

    Although he asserted that the penalties and the sanction regimes were punitive, he emphasised that they should be biting to be effective.

    Mr Ayisi suggested that if the perpetrators involved in galamsey— especially the influential people— are arrested, they should be publicised and imprisoned so as to deter other citizens from engaging in the act.

    “So, for instance, this chief, if he’s convicted by the court in Oda and is put in jail and is well publicised … then you are sending a strong signal to everybody that, hey, you can go to jail,” he stressed.

  • How bank customers were robbed by a syndicate of dismissed security officers

    Due to their respective histories in the top security agencies of the nation, they make up possibly the best pair of experienced hands for an armed robbery syndicate.

    Isaac Amejor and Michael Baffour, two former police officers and soldiers, respectively, knew exactly what they were getting themselves into when they chose to enlist Muntakilu Saddick, a former trader, to establish a heist ring.

    According to an article written by The Chronicle, the three individuals used a very covert but mainly successful method to rob unwary members of the public.

    According to the investigation, the three specifically targeted people who visited several financial institutions to use withdrawal transfer services, including people who took out large amounts of cash.

    DSP Evans Kesse, who was the prosecuting officer, told an Accra Circuit Court that “as part of their scheme, they hired taxis to take them around to monitor the clients who patronise various banks, and after identifying a potential victim, would launch their attack.”

    The report further described the specific technique the syndicate use, adding that after they have successfully robbed their victims, they either throw them out of the moving cars in handcuffs, or for the lucky ones, without it.

    “They achieved this with Muntaliku Saddick, who posed as a detective wearing mufti, and who would enter banking halls to monitor the activities and would then communicate the physical identities of their potential victims to his accomplices, who had strategically positioned themselves.

    “Isaac Amejor, in full police apparel, would get down from the taxi and inform their victim that he or she was under arrest. Michael Baffour, also dressed in an army uniform, would join Isaac to effect the arrest of the victim and force all the persons in the hired taxi cab to create the impression that they were, indeed, employees of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Army.

    “They would then order the driver to move and follow their direction… the accused persons robbed several people of the monies in their possession, and pushed them out of the car along the way,” the The Chronicle report said.

    The three men have since been remanded into lawful custody for allegedly accosting and robbing customers of financial institutions, particularly those who had gone to withdraw huge monies.

  • UK police confirms death of 31-year-old Ghanaian woman in Brixton

    UK police confirms death of 31-year-old Ghanaian woman in Brixton

    31-year-old Johanita Kossiwa Dogbey, has been stabbed to death, according to the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police.

    The incident happened on May 1, 2023 in Brixton’s Stockwell Park Walk, “when she is believed to have been approached by a man from behind who attacked her,” Police said.

    She had gone out to buy a birthday present and was on her way back when the attacker struck killing her by the time police and first aid responders arrived at the scene.

    Ms Dogbey was the founder of the Odette Foundation, a charity which worked with people suffering from sickle cell in Ghana and Togo, the UK Daily Mail reported.

    Specially trained officers continue to provide support to Johanita’s family, the police added in a statement that included a tribute from the family members who expressed devastation at the incident.

    Police account of how the incident happened:

    A 33-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder remains in police custody after officers were granted a warrant of further detention at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 3 May.

    Detectives launched an investigation following reports of a stabbing in Stockwell Park Walk, SW9 at 16:02hrs on Monday, 1 May.

    Officers arrived at the scene and were joined by the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance.

    Johanita was found with stab wounds and despite the efforts of the emergency services, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 16:42hrs.

    Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command are leading the investigation and have carried out a number of enquiries, including a review of CCTV from the area. They have also spoken to several witnesses.

    Based on these initial enquiries, it is believed Johanita was walking along Stockwell Park Walk when she was approached from behind by a man who attacked her.

    It is not believed the man was known to her.

  • 2 detained by police in relation to alleged stolen rail tracks, steel sleepers

    2 detained by police in relation to alleged stolen rail tracks, steel sleepers

    Two people have been detained by police in connection with an alleged theft of the rail line infrastructure, according to a video that went popular on social media.

    A May 1, 2023 statement posted on their social media handles identified the two as Ibrahim John and Bashiru, who were transporting the materials to a company in Tema.

    “According to the suspects, their company has been contracted by the Ministry of Railway Development to cart the exhibit items to Tema.

    “Officials of the company who were not met at the premises of the company have been asked to report to the Police tomorrow morning to assist the investigation,” the statement noted in part.

    The viral video of rail tracks and steel sleepers being removed in parts of the country went viral on social media on May 1, 2023.

    The videos, shared by the state-owned Daily Graphic, showed a citizen raising alarm about how the perpetrators had cut and removed the rail infrastructure along a bushy area in an unidentified location.

    Most commenters on social media lamented how critical infrastructure was being destroyed and looted by individuals whiles other tagged the police to take immediate action.

    Hours later, the police announced the arrest of two persons in connection with the act, stating that investigations were still underway.

    POLICE ARREST TWO PEOPLE IN CONNECTION WITH VIRAL VIDEO ON SOME ALLEGED STOLEN RAIL TRACKS AND STEEL SLEEPERS

    The Police have arrested two suspects in connection with some alleged stolen rail tracks and steel sleepers believed to belong to the Ghana Railway Development Authority which has gone viral on social media.

    The suspects Ibrahim John and Bashiru Ibrahim were arrested while transporting the said items to Ferro Frabrik Ltd. yard in Tema.

    According to the suspects, their company has been contracted by the Ministry of Railway Development to cart the exhibit items to Tema.

    Officials of the company who were not met at the premises of the company have been asked to report to the Police tomorrow morning to assist the investigation.

    Contact has also been made with the Ministry of Railway Development and officials of the Ministry are expected to report to the Police tomorrow 2nd May 2023 to support the investigation.

    Meanwhile, three DAF trucks GN 8501 – 15, GT 4705 -15 and GT 6707 -15 which were being used to convey the items have been impounded and parked at the National Police Training School due to the size of the trucks while the investigation continues.

  • ‘Wee ghettos’ at Bibiani shut down by Police

    ‘Wee ghettos’ at Bibiani shut down by Police

    In the Bibiani municipality of the Western North Region, the Bibiani Police, under the direction of Superintendent Seth Sewornu, have destroyed a number of “wee ghettos.”

    The police operation was a component of the efforts to apprehend local criminals.

    The activities of those responsible for the rising criminality in the neighborhood have attracted the attention of the police as well.

    The police have burnt several ‘wee ghettos’ in Old Town, Attakrom and Nantwikumye all in the Bibiani community of the Bibiani Anhweaso-Bekwai municipality in the Western North Region.

    However, no person was arrested during the operation.

    The police in an interview disclosed they will continue their activities until all ‘wee ghettos’ are collapsed in the municipality.

    Meanwhile, residents have appealed to the police to continue the destruction of the ‘wee ghettos’ to make Bibiani a better living place.

  • Wife of Thai police officer interrogated over poisoning and murders cases

    Wife of Thai police officer interrogated over poisoning and murders cases

    Police in Thailand say they are looking into the possibility that a woman who was recently detained on suspicion of killing her friend with cyanide also killed at least 12 other people in a string of slayings that has gripped the nation.

    According to Deputy National authorities Commissioner Gen. Surachate Hakparn, the suspect, who authorities have only identified as Am, was detained on Tuesday for the alleged murder of Siriporn Kanwong.

    According to Surachate, Siriporn was last seen with Am on CCTV tape before she passed out and died. An autopsy revealed that Siriporn had traces of cyanide in her system.

    Am’s lawyer, Thannicha Akesuwannawat, told local media Thairath TV on Wednesday that her client denies any involved in Siriporn’s death.

    “She has [an] explanation, with evidence in hand,” Thannicha said, declining to elaborate further citing legal reasons.

    Investigators are now looking into at least 12 other suspected murder cases where the victims had links to Am and similar causes of death, said Surachate. CNN has attempted to reach Am’s lawyer for a response to those allegations.

    Surachate said one woman who was allegedly targeted by Am came forward to authorities after news of her arrest broke.

    The individual told police she was poisoned in 2020 but was able to make it to a hospital where doctors resuscitated her and also found cyanide in her system, he said.

    Surachate said the witness was too afraid to file a case against Am at the time because the accused is the wife of a senior police officer, but she gained courage after hearing about the other alleged cases.

    In the potentially linked cases currently being investigated by police, all the victims ate or drank with Am in the run up to their deaths.

    “After they ate together or drank something together, later they were dead,” Surachate said. Investigators believe the killings may have had a financial motive, primarily debts. “She owed money to many people,” Surachate said.

    Press photos showed Am wearing a face mask while being led into court by police in Bangkok on Wednesday. She was remanded in custody while police investigate the allegations.

    The case has generated huge local media interest this week in Thailand and has prompted others to come forward to authorities with their suspicion that their loved ones may also be victims.

  • Jackass star Bam Margera surrenders to police after alleged assault

    Jackass star Bam Margera surrenders to police after alleged assault

    Bam Margera pleaded not guilty to an assault charge and surrendered to authorities.

    The 43-year-old Jackass star surrendered to police in Pennsylvania on Thursday after an arrest warrant was issued for him following an alleged incident with his musician brother Jess Margera on Sunday.

    At his arraignment, he appeared in court and denied the charges of assault, harassment, and making terroristic threats.

    According to Michael van der Veen, Bam’s attorney, “He was arraigned and entered his plea of not guilty.” On an unsecured bond, he was released.

    ‘Mr. Margera enjoys all of his constitutional rights, including the presumption of innocence.

    ‘The wild rumours regarding his behaviour this week are absolutely false. He is in good health and in good spirits.’

    Bam
    The 43-year-old Jackass star handed himself in to police (Picture: @bam__margera / Instagram)

    Bam was freed on $50,000 and is due back in court at the end of May, while the judge also ordered him to stay away from his brother Jess and complete a drug and alcohol assessment.

    According to court documents, officers responded to an incident at a property in Chester County, Pennsylvania on Sunday and Jess allegedly told them his TV star brother had banged and kicked his bedroom door, as well as leaving him a threatening note.

    Jess is also said to have told officers Bam later assaulted him and made threats against him and others in the house.

    Police said Bam had fled into the woods before they arrived at the scene.

    After his arraignment, Bam addressed the case in a post on social media in which he denied his brother’s claims.

    Bam wrote: ‘I just got out of the courthouse with my lawyers. Everything went great and the false accusations of what my brother says are not true and he will be sued for defamation as well as being evicted from Castle Bam sooner than later.

    ‘The reason I lost my cool is because I read his phone saying he wants me back in California and he wants to find a way to 302 me. F*** him.’

    Bam’s reference to a 302 suggests Jess was planning to have his sibling committed to an acute inpatient psychiatric hospital on an involuntary admission.

    Jess also addressed the drama in a series of posts on Twitter which have since been deleted.

    He wrote: ‘I’m trying to stay positive. Bam really is the sweetest guy when he isn’t messed up. But since his meth habit, he’s unrecognisable and I really don’t know what he’s capable of.

    ‘Seeing him screaming at a person that wasn’t there, hallucinating. It’s really scary and heartbreaking.’

  • Man admits raping woman he met on dating app

    Man admits raping woman he met on dating app

    A man who raped a lady he met on a dating app has been found guilty.

    Following the March incident in north London, Ryan Mulhern, 41, entered a plea of guilty to rape and attempted rape.

    At Snaresbrook Crown Court on April 21, Mulhern, of Hornsey Lane, entered a plea of guilty and was found guilty of rape and attempted rape.

    Just before 10 o’clock in the evening, a member of the public discovered the victim crying and declaring she had just been raped. They were then called to an address on Hornsey Lane in Haringey.

    The court heard that at 9.50pm on March 21, police were called to Hornsey Lane after a member of the public found a woman crying and stating that she had just been raped.

    The victim, aged 25, explained that she had met Mulhern on a dating app and had gone to his house to meet up.

    Whilst there Mulhern raped her, she confirmed, explaining that she ‘repeatedly told him to stop but he continued’.

    Latest London news

    She fled the house and then bumped into a member of the public who called 999.

    Officers appointed a sexual offences investigations techniques officer to support the victim through her report and when giving evidence.

    She was taken to a haven the following day for specialised support.

    Officers launched an investigation which saw them ‘search several addresses looking for Mulhern, initially without success,’ a Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed.

    They said: ’Numerous teams were deployed in a resource-intensive manhunt using a variety of tactics to locate and arrest him.

    ‘This pressure ultimately led to Mulhern’s arrest in Islington one day later on Wednesday, March 22.

    ‘The investigation team then worked tirelessly to secure evidence and ensure that Mulhern was charged and remanded in custody in order to remove a dangerous offender from the streets.’

    Following Mulhern’s conviction, Detective Sergeant Sam Lockstone, who led the investigation, said: ‘I am incredibly proud of my team for supporting the victim throughout this investigation with such professionalism.

    ‘Arresting, charging and remanding Mulhern, and then him pleading guilty, within one month of the incident shows the dedication and commitment our teams have in pursuing justice for these horrific offences.’

  • Police in Australia search through 3,000 tons of trash for the remains of a missing lady

    Police in Australia search through 3,000 tons of trash for the remains of a missing lady

    Police in Australia are searching a Queensland dump site for the remains of a lady whose body they suspect were in a trash container that was dumped into a garbage truck as part of a routine garbage collection.

    Late in March, Lesley Trotter’s family in Brisbane reported her missing. Initially, search efforts for the 78-year-old woman concentrated on the local bushland walking trails where she liked to go trekking.

    However, earlier this month, Queensland homicide detectives revealed they had proof that she had passed away and that her body might have been inside a bin that was emptied into a garbage truck. This information caused the search to take a morbid turn.

    The truck was one of 23 that took their waste collections to a transfer station, where it was compressed before being distributed to two landfill sites, Queensland Police said in a statement.

    On April 18, officers partially cordoned off one of those sites and have been sifting through rubbish for Trotter’s body, or any clues to her whereabouts.

    At the time, Detective Acting Superintendent Andrew Massingham described the search area as “quite enormous.” “There is some 3,000 tons of general waste that we need to sort through,” he said.

    “The waste will be exhumed from the ground. It will then be tipped into lanes approximately 30 meters deep, at which time our police and ADF (Australian Defense Force) personnel will sift through by hand and using rakes,” he said.

    On Thursday, police said less than 13% of the search area had been covered, and the entire process could take several weeks. Though they said paperwork belonging to a nearby resident had been found, suggesting they’re looking in the right place.

    Previously Massingham said he could not “rule out foul play,” according to CNN affiliate 7 News.

    Police confirmed they were looking into a possible link between Trotter’s disappearance and her recycling habits – she was known to go through trash cans outside her home and neighboring properties for recycling waste that had been put in the wrong bins.

    She’d then put it in the correct bin to be recycled, police said.

    “Whether that’s created some angst amongst the tenants, we’re working through that at the moment,” Massingham said.

  • Police hunt for missing fiancé as heavily pregnant teacher discovered dead at home

    Police hunt for missing fiancé as heavily pregnant teacher discovered dead at home

    After a primary school teacher who was extremely pregnant was discovered dead at home, police are looking for her partner.

    On Tuesday, just after 8:40 a.m., Marelle Sturrock‘s body was found in the Glasgow apartment she lived with her fiancé David Yates, 36.

    After the 35-year-old failed to arrive for work or answer the door, coworkers are thought to have raised the alarm.

    Police Scotland is investigating her death as suspicious, and they say her partner has been reported missing.

    A huge search operation was launched at Mugdock Country Park, just outside the city in East Dunbartonshire, and is being linked to the death.

    Dog units have been seen combing woodland at the park since Tuesday morning, while a police helicopter was circling overhead.

    Heavily pregnant teacher, 35, found dead at Glasgow home as cops hunt for missing person Marelle Sturrock https://www.facebook.com/marelle.sturrock
    Police are searching for the missing David Yates (left) after his partner Marelle Sturrock (right) was found dead at their home (Picture: Facebook)

    Marelle was seen enjoying a meal and smiling with friends in a picture posted on Facebook just hours before her death.

    Tributes have been pouring in for the talented aspiring actress and singer who became a teacher after completing her postgraduate diploma in education.

    Fiona Donnelly, headteacher at Sandwood Primary School where Marelle worked, said in a letter to parents: ‘It is with deep sorrow that I must inform you about the sudden death of Ms Sturrock who is a beloved member of our teaching staff.

    ‘I know that this will come as a shock to our school community, and we will do all that we can to support children, staff and families through what will be a difficult and challenging time.

    ‘We have had support in school today from our educational psychologists who will be here over the next few days to offer help and advice.

    ‘I hope that you will understand that there are no other details that I can share at this time but wanted to let our families know the tragic news from the school.’

    Friend Alec Nicholson described Marelle as a ‘kind’ and ‘talented’ person in a touching tribute to ‘an exceptionally beautiful human’.

    He told the Mirror: ‘I mean, of course anyone would say that about someone whose loss they’re mourning, but she really was incredibly special.

    ‘So beautiful, so talented, but so kind. She really was the very last person anyone could ever want to come to harm.

    ‘Just a lovely, lovely girl.’

    Detective chief inspector Cheryl Kelly said: ‘Our thoughts are with Marelle’s family and friends, as well as everyone affected by this tragic incident.

    ‘We are providing her family with support at this incredibly difficult time as our investigation to establish the full circumstances continues.’

    She added there is not believed to be any risk to the wider public but anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101.

  • Police arrest 7 physician assists for picketing at Health Ministry

    Police arrest 7 physician assists for picketing at Health Ministry

    Police have detained seven members of a group of physician assistants who were picketing about their pending postings.

    They have been taken to the Regional Police Command for breaching an earlier agreement over their mode of picketing.

    Reports indicate that the Physician Assistants flouted the original agreement with the police which was to converge outside the Accra Sports Stadium and not to picket at the Ministry of Health.

    “We were waiting to have some form of negotiations with leaders of the Ministry. So we were waiting to be called when one of the Police Officers came and asked if I am one of the leaders and I said No, and they called the other names and said the police command wants to see them at the Police station,” Stephen Conduah explained to Citi News.

    According to the group, there have been delays in processes by the Ministry of Health to ensure that they are posted to health centres across the country.

    Years after years, physician assistants who graduate from various health institutions have called on authorities to post them after school, but it seems their demands have always fallen on deaf ears.

    They have at times protested to further drum home their demands.

    The jobless health professionals stage protest at the Ministry of Health to demand immediate employment.

  • I ‘killed’ my lover because she owed me GHS5,000 – Inspector reveals

    I ‘killed’ my lover because she owed me GHS5,000 – Inspector reveals

    Inspector Ahmed Twumasi, has revealed why he allegedly killed his “lover” Victoria Dapaah, also known as Maadwoa in Adum-Kumasi.

    Per reports, he has admitted to shooting her because she owed him GHS5,000.

    This was contained in the prosecution document as read in open court on Tuesday, April 25.

    It was an emotional day at the Asokore Mampong District Court as police needed reinforcement to escort Inspector Ahmed Twumasi from the premises.


    Hundreds thronged to the Asokore Mampong District Court to witness proceedings

    Inspector Twumasi has been charged with murder.

    It was also revealed in court that the accused used a service pistol to commit the crime.

    Asked by the judge whether he has anything to say, despite not allowing him to plead guilty or not, Inspector Twumasi said: “I have no intention to commit the crime; what happened is between me and God.”

    He has been remanded into police custody to reappear on Tuesday, May 30.