Monday, August 31, 2009

'CHRAJ can't probe Mumuni'

Front Page: Daily Graphic, August 31, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) says it cannot investigate the allegations levelled against the Foreign Affairs Minister, Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni, by the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG).
“All the allegations made by the complainant dated April 24, 2009 fall outside the mandate of the commission and investigating the allegations would be tantamount to performing a function which is ultra vires to the commission’s mandate,” it stated.
In its decision dated July 31, 2009, the commission stated that it was unable to make any declarations on the matter, since it could not investigate the allegations.
It, however, advised AFAG to “proceed to the appropriate forum that is the Supreme Court to seek redress accordingly”.
The complainant had alleged that a forensic audit conducted into the operations of the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), an institute which Alhaji Mumuni, then “...Minister of Employment and Social Welfare for the period January 1997 to December 2002,” established “...That through the gross negligence and misconduct of Alhaji Mumuni, the state had lost a ... ¢15 billion old cedis through his involvement in the purported disbursement of monies to the NVTI alone."
According to the complainant, Alhaji Mumuni was found to have authorised the fraudulent release of amounts in excess of 19 billion old cedis from the Consolidated Fund (the nation’s public fund reserves) into undisclosed accounts.
The group also alleged that “Alhaji Mumuni, purportedly acting on the strength of an illegal appointment by President Mills as a temporary head of the Ministry of the Interior in January 2009, at a time when he had not been properly nominated by President Mills as a Minister for the Interior, dismissed the lawfully appointed head of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), ACP Douglas Akrofi.”
The group also alleged that Alhaji Mumuni also unlawfully removed the acting Head of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
According to its complaint, Alhaji Mumuni purportedly engaged in further unlawful conduct by unconstitutionally imposing curfews on Bawku, a town in the Upper East Region.
The group noted further that on the instructions of Alhaji Mumuni on April 14, 2009, the acting Director of the Legal and Consular Bureau of the ministry was purported to have terminated a headquarters' agreement between the government and Africa Legal Aid, a pan-African international organisation.
The complainants were of the view that the termination of the agreement was done without providing “..reasons...” and that the agreement was terminated when “...no dispute had occurred to warrant the termination, no recourse to arbitration proceedings as directed by the mandatory provisions of the agreement...”
In its petition dated, April 24, 2009, AFAG, therefore, sought the commission to declare that the acts and omissions of Alhaji Mumuni spelt out while serving as the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare in the year 1999/2000 amounted to corruption and an abuse of office and state resources.
It also sought a declaration that the acts and omissions of Alhaji Mumuni spelt out were prejudicial to the interests of the nation and a further declaration that the acts of Alhaji Mumuni as temporary head of the Ministry of the Interior in January 2009, were an abuse of power.
AFAG noted that the commission declared that the acts of Alhaji Mumuni as temporary head of the Ministry of the Interior in January 2009, were prejudicial to the interests of the nation, as well as a recommendation “by reason of the acts of omission of Alhaji Mumuni specified herein, Alhaji Mumuni is unfit to occupy the position of Minister of State”.
Quoting extensively from various authorities including Supreme Court rulings, the commission in its findings, signed by its registrar, Mr William Ansah, said the allegations were outside its mandate.
On the complainant’s second allegation which centred on the alleged illegal appointment of Alhaji Mumuni by President Mills as temporary head of the Interior Ministry, the commission noted that investigating the allegation would be to recommend the removal of Alhaji Mumuni as Minister if it found him unqualified for the position of Minister, who was nominated by the President and approved by Parliament.
“To do so would amount to an usurpation of the powers of the President and Parliament. Even the Supreme Court would have been cautious in entertaining such a complaint if it were invited to do so, vide: Ghana Bar Association Vs Attorney General and another (1995-96) 1 GLR 598-662 SC, Edward Wiredu JSC,” it noted.

5 Armed robbers jailed 100 years

Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 31, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Accra Fast Track High Court has sentenced five armed robbers to a total of 100 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
Joseph Annan alias Tettey, Joe Osei Brenya, Larkotey Lartey alias Shaka Baabu, Nii Ayittey Hammond alias Paa Joe and Papa Nii Copson alias Corporal, all pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to rob and robbery.
A sixth suspect, Benjamin Asante, who was part of the armed robbery gang, was not in court as the Accra Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was holding him in another robbery case.
The Odorkor District Police Crime Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Baffour Apenteng, told the Daily Graphic at the weekend that on May 4, this year, the six young men met at the James Town beach to plan and execute a number of robbery activities.
He said the robbers first struck at Korle Gonno, where they snatched a taxi from its driver.
He said the six men drove in the taxi to Awudome near North Kaneshie where they snatched a Daewoo car, with registration number GW 8352 P, from its owner and took away the victim’s valuables in the car.
According to him, the six men divided themselves into two groups of three with a group in each car.
DSP Apenteng said after embarking on a number of robbery activities within the North Kaneshie vicinity, the convicts drove to Gbawe where they robbed a lady of her bag and mobile phones and sped off.
He said on their way back to the James Town beach, the robbers saw a roadblock mounted by a team of police personnel; they then parked the two snatched vehicles to take away their booty on foot.
Unfortunately for them, DSP Apenteng said, the last lady they robbed at Gbawe, who was then coming towards Accra in a Metro Mass bus, saw the robbers and raised an alarm.
He said Joseph Annan was arrested while the others escaped.
DSP Apenteng said the Odorkor police went underground and were able to arrest the others between May and July this year.
According to him, the five robbers all pleaded guilty when they were put before the court, presided over by Mr Justice N. M. C. Abodakpi, and were accordingly sentenced to 20 years each in hard labour.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Weightlifting contest turns bloody

Page 21: Daily Graphic, August 29, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
What began as a weightlifting competition by Liberian refugees at Gomoa Budumburam last Saturday, turned into a brawl in which at least one person was stabbed.
The row prompted the police to intervene by firing warning shots to restore order. In the process, the Kasoa District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jordan Quaye, who led a team of policemen to foil a mob action at the Budumburam Police Station and arrest the perpetrators, had his share of the brutalities when he was hit with a stone that left him with a deep cut on his forehead.
So far four suspects have been arrested by the police to help in their investigations. They are Abraham Collison, the organiser of the competition, his girlfriend, Love Dennis, 22, Jerry Brown and Reuben Konu, 31. With the exception of Collison, who had been granted police enquiry bail to seek treatment, the others are all in custody.
According to the police, an illegal weightlifting competition was organised by some Liberians at the Glenns Egyir Unitz Entertainment Centre last Saturday but a fight ensued between the girlfriend of the organiser of the competition and some spectators.
In the ensuing confusion, bottles were broken, people were stabbed and gunshot were fired.
According to DSP Quaye, the co-owner of the centre, Ms Adelaide Bamfo, reported the incident to the Kasoa Police on August 23, 2009 with injuries she sustained from the brawl.
He said Ms Bamfo mentioned Collision as the person who stabbed her and a number of persons who were at the centre to have fun.
According to him, the complainant then led the police to effect the arrest of Collison on that same day but he resisted arrest and shouted for help, claiming he was being attacked.
The Kasoa Police Commander said a mob of more than 400 people quickly gathered at the residence of Collison and tried to prevent the police from effecting Collison’s arrest.
He said the mob started throwing stones and anything they could lay hands on, one of which hit his (DSP Quaye’s) head resulting in the cut he sustained.
He said the situation was brought under control after the police fired warning shots.
DSP Quaye said after calm was restored, the suspects were arrested and taken to the Kasoa Police Station for questioning.
According to him, while at the police station, the police had information that the mob was planning to attack the Budumburam Police Station, which was manned by two persons.
He said he quickly mobilised a team of police personnel to Budumburam where he explained to the mob that Collison and his colleagues were being questioned into the disturbances of August 22, 2009 and would be released if they were not found culpable.
DSP Quaye said based on that explanation, the mob dispersed.
He said calm had since been restored to the area while the suspects would be put before court.

Police arrest suspected fraudster

Page 21: Daily Graphic, August 29, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE police have arrested a 39-year-old man for allegedly defrauding three persons of GH¢45,000.
Daniel Anane, alias Nana Gyebi, who was picked up from the Akwatia Police Station last Saturday, where he was being held for allegedly defrauding other people in that area, is currently assisting the Vetting and Criminal Intelligence Analysis (VCIA) unit of the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters in investigations.
He is alleged to have defrauded his victims by misleading them into purchasing Ginkgo seeds at the request of a medical doctor in the United Kingdom for the purposes of treating cancer and ulcer.
Nana Gyebi, however, told the police that it was a friend of his, Kwaku Emma, currently at large, who directed him to meet the complainants to collect money after which he was given GH¢1,000.
Briefing the Daily Graphic in Accra, the head of the VCIA, Superintendent Dennis Akob Abade, said the first victim, a 59-year-old farmer, parted with GH¢20,000 while the second victim, a woman, parted with GH¢5,000.
He said the farmer told the police that a communication centre operator approached him (farmer) on August 6, 2009, to give him the number 00447031808362 as that of someone purporting to have called several times wanting to speak to the farmer.
He said when the farmer returned the call, the person who received it identified himself as George, who knew the farmer since 1992, but was now domiciled in the UK.
Supt Abade said the farmer became convinced after he was told that he (farmer) was a native of Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region.
He said George then informed the farmer that a doctor friend of his in the UK needed Ginko seeds to buy to treat cancer and ulcer patients.
According to Supt. Abade, George said because of the profit margin involved, he decided to talk to the farmer for him to utilise the opportunity to make good money.
He said George then gave the farmer cellphone number 0244257437 as that of the supplier in Ghana and 0542944504 as that of the medical doctor’s agent in Ghana.
Supt Abade said after calling the purported agent, the farmer was asked to meet him (supplier) at Nsawam for a sample of the Ginkgo seed to be taken to the medical doctor’s agent in Accra to find out whether it was the same as the seed they needed.
He said after paying GH¢100 for the sample, the farmer called the medical doctor’s agent and they agreed to meet at Odo Rice Spot at Kokomlemle.
He said the purported agent rather sent someone to meet the farmer at the agreed place during which the person gave the farmer GH¢170 and confirmed that it was the very seed they were looking for.
Supt Abade said the agent then requested for 200 packaged pieces of the Ginkgo seeds.
He said the farmer then mobilised GH¢20,000 to purchase the seeds from the supplier.
According to him, the farmer, in the company of his daughter and son, went to Nsawam to collect the seeds for onward handover to the agent of the medical doctor.
Supt Abade said efforts to contact the agent of the medical doctor on phone to meet him at an agreed place for collection proved futile as his number had been switched off.
He said when the farmer tried to contact the supplier and the said George in the UK, their phones were also said to be switched off.
He said it was at that point that the farmer realised he had been defrauded and accordingly lodged a complaint with the police.
Supt Abade said while processing the complaint of the victim, a lady also walked in with a similar complaint of having been defrauded of GH¢5,000 through Ginkgo seeds she purchased.
He said the police then had information that the suspect was in custody at Akwatia on similar charges and accordingly requested for his transfer to the CID Headquarters for investigations into the new complaints.

Friday, August 28, 2009

K'bu to begin DNA tests Oct.

Page 3: Daily Graphic. August 26, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Korle Bu Teaching Hospital will begin conducting human identification (DNA) tests from October, this year.
That will make Ghana the second after South Africa to have the capacity to carry out DNA tests on the continent.
The 178,000 euro molecular biology laboratory for the DNA chromosomal analysis is expected to be operational in three weeks time to be manned by one of only two Ghanaian qualified and licensed biomedical scientists, Mr Augustine E. Sagoe. The other Ghanaian is in South Africa, where he has been practising since he was licensed six years ago.
There are already 46 requests from the High Court to determine certain cases including paternity, even before the laboratory becomes operational.
The facility could also be used for infidelity testing, DNA shuffling and library construction for criminal record keeping purposes and also to trace the genealogy of persons seven generations back.
The Chief Executive of the hospital, Professor Nii Otu Nartey, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the move formed part of measures to make the nation’s premier hospital a one-stop health centre for the handling of all complicated cases.
He said there were also plans to introduce other specialised centres which would end the syndrome of Ghanaians seeking medical attention outside the country.
With the introduction of organ transplantation at the hospital, he said the introduction of the DNA facility could help with cross-matching to assess whether there could be problems with certain transplantation as a result of incompatibility.
Prof. Nartey said the facility would make it easier to determine the history of medical conditions as to whether they ran through families or were by accidents.
Throwing more light on the facility, Mr Sagoe said a survey he conducted in 2004 at the courts showed that there were a number of unresolved cases because DNA tests needed to be conducted to confirm certain findings before judgements could be given.
Some of those cases, he said, involved rape and family issues.
He, therefore, submitted proposals to the management of the hospital to consider supporting the establishment of the facility in Ghana.
Mr Sagoe said since he returned from the United States of America (USA) after training in Cuba six years ago, he had made a promise to work towards the establishment of the centre.
He said although there were offers to remain in the USA and also to go to South Africa, he stayed in Ghana to see through it and expressed his appreciation to the hospital for supporting his cause.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

GH¢170,001 EMBEZZLED * K'Bu suspends 11 revenue collectors

Front Page: Daily Graphic, August 25, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has suspended 11 of its revenue collectors for allegedly embezzling GH¢170,001.61 between January, 2007 and June, 2008.
The alleged embezzlement was uncovered following a special audit into the accounts books of the hospital after some anomalies were detected by Egyaboaful Anan-Kakabaah, the Director of Finance of the hospital.
The Chief Executive of the hospital, Professor Nii Otu Nartey, then commissioned a special investigation co-ordinated by Mr Anan-Kakabaah with the Internal Audit Agency into the accounts books of the hospital, which resulted in the findings.
The team is still looking into the cases of other revenue collectors and this might raise the amount embezzled.
The 11 revenue collectors, who have all been suspended following alleged acts of impropriety against them, are Charles Acheampong Mensah, GH¢38,431.35; Mark Tanlongo, GH¢34,098.01; Judith Belinda Degboe, GH¢19,585.34; Francis Mensah Sam, GH¢16,927.22; Joseph Aryee, GH¢16,560.65 and Portia Quansah, GH¢9,070.32.
The rest are Florence Mensah, GH¢9,492.26; John Edem B. Tamakloe, GH¢7,728.17; Charles Campbell, GH¢6,544.03; Christoph Kumapley, GH¢5,433.03, and Ebenezer Neequaye, GH¢4,928.29.
They are also to face a disciplinary committee set up by the management of the hospital.
The police are also to take over the criminal aspects of the financial scandal.
Narrating how the revenue collectors perpetrated the crime, Prof. Nartey told the Daily Graphic that the revenue collectors put a hard paper between the original receipt and the third copy to write the real name of a patient as it appeared on the Admission & Discharge (A & D) book at the wards/units on the original receipt copy.
He said the perpetrators would then use a fictitious name on the third copy, which was for monitoring and reconciliation purposes.
According to him, on the third copy, they would then issue amounts which were far lower than the amount recorded in the A & D books and pocket the difference.
Citing an example, Prof. Nartey said after allegedly collecting GH¢178.06 from a patient on December 4, 2007, a revenue collector at the Maternity Ward paid only GH¢6 into Korle Bu’s accounts and issued a receipt in the name of a non-existent patient which was different from the record in the A & D book.
He said the revenue collector then allegedly pocketed the difference of GH¢172.06.
The Chief Executive said that was how the rest of the others allegedly perpetrated the crimes.
He said in reconciling the accounts, it was detected that the names in the A & D books did not correspond with the names in the receipts issued against them.
Most often, he said, the duplicate copy, which should also be kept in a box, could not be traced.
Prof. Nartey said the investigations had been widened to cover other areas of the hospital especially the monitoring and reconciliation units.
He said in addition to handing over revenue collection to Merchant Bank so as to seal any loopholes in revenue collection, the management had also decided to decentralise the monitoring and reconciliation units to the various sub-budget management concepts (BMCs) of the hospital.
Prof. Nartey gave the assurance that Korle Bu would take stern action against any staff member who engaged in pilfering of revenue at the hospital.
He said management would also maximise the collection and judicious use of the hospital's revenue to improve upon services to patients.
Prof. Nartey said management would ensure that all those who had taken monies from the hospital’s revenue repay them and the appropriate sanctions taken against the culprits.

Monday, August 24, 2009

BNI must rethink method of operation

Page 38: Daily Graphic, August 24, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A SECURITY analyst, Mr Emmanuel Sowatey says the recent judicial rulings against the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) should help the institution rethink its operations in line with Ghana’s international reputation as a state with serious prospects for democratic consolidation, rule of law and development.
He said the era where the institution was regarded as being above the law and a source of terror and insecurity, which was one of the hallmarks of undemocratic practices, was being challenged.
Speaking in an interview at the weekend, Mr Sowatey expressed the hope that the rulings would help the BNI get rid of some of its old identitity which was often characterized with fear, terror and insecurity
According to him, the security of the people was being strengthened by those rulings.
Mr Sowatey expressed the hope that the rulings would also provide some form of protection for professionals within the BNI.
He explained that such professionals would have the bases to reject certain directives that did not conform to best practices that govern the security and intelligence community in any good democratic dispensation.
He urged the legislature and in particular the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior (PSCDI) to discuss those rulings as part of its broader oversight role over the security and intelligence community.
“They and all Ghanaians need to scrutinize The Security and Intelligence Agencies Act 526 of 1999 as we deepen and consolidate our democracy which is a key source of security,” he advised.
“That Security Sector Reform is very critical to democratic consolidation, rule of law and development is well known. The problem has been the different approaches to these reforms across most part of Africa. These rulings bespeaks the need for the ongoing reform within the security sector which will help place our intelligence and security institutions at par with the Electoral Commission which has international credentials,” he added.
Mr Sowatey noted further that the rulings showed the emerging identity of the judiciary as an institution that could provide some kind of security for people even against the ‘almighty’ incumbent government.
“Hopefully these ruing will not be regarded as those of unfriendly judges but rather as part of a broader effort/endeavor of some judges to help the judiciary regain its reputation as a trusted one and a source of security,” he said.
He made it clear that a trusted judiciary was a source of security and while a mistrusted judiciary was a major source of insecurity, particularly to the ordinary people and political opponents of incumbent government.
Notwithstanding the rulings, Mr Sowatey said, his main concern was how to put the security and intelligence community in top shape in the face of the oil finds.
He said some multinational companies would attempt to manipulate and influence every aspect of governance for their advantage since with their huge resources and network, the bad multinational easily manipulate developing countries.
“This is a major security issue and we all need to support the BNI and other intelligence and security institutions to be at their best from now. They need to think ahead of the multinationals,” he said.
The Accra Fast Track High Court in two separate rulings ordered the BNI to hand over the passports of former Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Information, Messrs Akwasi Osei-Adjei and Stephen Asamoah-Boateng respectively.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Fraudster held

Page 38: Daily Graphic, August 20, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A 61-YEAR-OLD man believed to have defrauded a number of accommodation seekers in the Accra metropolis of more than GH¢50,000, has been arrested.
Nana Kwaku Agyei was arrested at the weekend with the help of some of the victims who led the police to identify his whereabouts.
He is currently in custody pending further investigations.
The head of Commercial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Superintendent Maame Yaa Tiwaah told the Daily Graphic that prior to the arrest of Agyei, the unit had received quite a number of complaints and the descriptions of the fraudster, fitted the suspect.
She said the suspect, who resided at Israel, a suburb of Tantra Hill, usually posed as a landlord after he had been introduced by accommodation agents to residents looking for accommodation.
According to her, the modus Agyei had always been using was to use someone’s apartment to hold discussions with some visitors.
Supt Tiwaah said unknown to the house owners, the supposed visitors of Agyei would later show up demanding to have access to the house since they had already paid for it to rent.
At the CID headquarters yesterday, the suspect appealed to the police to allow him to pay the complainants.
Agyei also promised to assist the police to arrest his accomplices, whom he said, were six in number.

Three car snatchers nabbed

Page 46: Daily Graphic, August 20, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THREE suspected car snatchers including a woman were on Monday arrested by the police on a tip-off.
Benjamin Asante, alias Delinger, 33, and his girlfriend, Felicia Kordai Addy, 29, and Papa Nii Copson, alias Corporal, are currently in police custody.
Delinger and Corporal are both ex-convicts who were released on March 30, 2009 after almost three years in prison for narcotic offences.
The modus operandi of the group is to use a lady to hire a taxi to a purported destination, mostly at places where the other members of the gang would be waiting.
Upon reaching the destination, the lady would then pull a gun or machete on the driver following which the other gang members would rush in to assist to snatch the car.
The gang would then use the vehicle to commit robbery elsewhere and later abandon the car.
Other members of the gang, who are all in custody at the Odorkor Police Station, have been identified as Akpa Tete, Paa Joe, Osei, Laa Kotey alias Babu Shaka.
Delinger and Corporal told the police that their last operation was about two months ago in which they robbed a woman around Radio Gold after snatching a car at Korle Gonno.
Briefing the Daily Graphic in Accra, the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, ACP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said following the last operation, Delinger and Corporal went into hiding.
He, however, said an informant gave the police a tip-off on Monday, August 17, 2009 which eventually led to the arrest of Delinger.
ACP Yohuno said it was after Delinger was arrested that he mentioned Felicia, his girlfriend, as an accomplice.
According to him, the police also had information that Corporal was now a taxi driver plying around Bortianor area and, therefore, had to mount surveillance in the area to arrest him around midnight while he was driving towards Bortianor.
He said Corporal explained that he had since stopped snatching cars after he escaped an arrest at Odorkor in an operation in which Akpa Tete was arrested.
During interrogation, Corporal mentioned suspects Tei Raja, Lomotey and Charles Lege, as part of the gang that attacked a residence at Omanjor a couple of weeks ago in which two of the suspected robbers were killed.
Raja, Lomotey and Lege are still on the run.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

K'si murder suspect arrested near Afienya

Front Page: Daily Graphic, August 19, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A 34-year-old man believed to have led five armed robbers to assassinate Detective Chief Inspector Jacob Nyame in Kumasi on April 13, 2009, has been arrested by the police.
Suspect Kwabena Takyi, who has been on the police wanted list, was arrested on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at a lorry station at Kakasunanka Number One around Afienya in the Greater Accra Region while awaiting his accomplices to allegedly attack a former member of the senior national team, the Black Stars.
Two foreign-made pistols, one of which was fully loaded, were retrieved from him at the time of his arrest. A rastafarian wig which is usually used by Takyi while on “duty” was also retrieved.
The police have confirmed that a bench warrant had earlier been issued by the Osu Magistrate’s Court for his alleged involvement in a number of high-profile 4x4 car snatching cases.
Briefing newsmen in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Christian Yohuno, said the police had information that Takyi and a group of people were travelling to Afienya to snatch a 4x4 vehicle belonging to a former player of the senior national football team, the Black Stars.
Based on that information two patrol teams were despatched to Kakasunanka Number One near Afienya to lay ambush and at about 8p.m, Takyi and another person arrived at the lorry station.
According to ACP Yohuno, upon realising that the two were trying to get a vehicle to move to their intended target, the policemen arrested Takyi while the other person escaped.
ACP Yohuno said a search on Takyi showed that he had two foreign-made pistols, one of which was fully loaded.
ACP Yohuno said following the arrest of Takyi last Saturday, the Accra Regional Police Command had received information from the CID headquarters in Accra and the Ashanti Regional Police CID indicating that Takyi was wanted in connection with a number of car-snatching robberies and the murder of Detective Chief Inspector Jacob Nyame on April 13, this year.
Five suspected armed robbers allegedly shot to death Chief Inspector Nyame in his home at Medoma, a developing community in the Kwabre East District in the Ashanti Region.
The deceased was shot twice in the waist and the rib by the gunmen in an execution style, with the cop bleeding to death.
ACP Yohuno recalled that Takyi’s name was mentioned by one Peter Kwaku Aziagborlu after he was arrested when the gang was planning to attack a house at Kakasunanka on the Tema-Afienya road on August 7, 2009.
In the said operation, the police planted personnel in the house but the gang did not show up.
ACP Yohuno said the police, however, had information that the gang was planning to attack another house at East Legon on Saturday, August 9, 2009 to steal a 4x4 Infinity vehicle.
Other members of Peter’s gang, he said, were identified only as Takyi, Kobby alias Ajaguer, a barber at Ashaiman; Sefadzi, Jackie and Kofi.
It was during the plan to raid the house at East Legon on August 9, 2009 that Peter was arrested, he added.
ACP Yohuno said the police were taking the fight against armed robberies to the criminals by making sure that the police were able to strike ahead of the armed robbers.
He, therefore, appealed to members of the public to continue to volunteer information to the police, since the police thrived on information to succeed.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Drug courier dies in custody

Front Page: Daily Graphic, August 15, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A SUSPECTED drug courier died at the Police Hospital on Thursday when some of the drugs in his stomach burst.
He had been in police custody for three days after he had been arrested at the Kotoka International Airport.
Before he died, Dansoko Sekouba, who was travelling on a Guinean passport from Afghanistan, had expelled 55 pellets of 1.3 kilograms of heroin he had swallowed.
The deceased was among nine suspected drug couriers arrested by officials of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) at the Kotoka International Airport between July 18 and August 10, 2009.
The others currently in custody are Luckins Atiagaga, Camara Souleymana, Bah Mohammed, Peter Onwa Ekwene, Daniel Kabutey, Mohammed Iddrisu, Mohammed Mustapha and Benedict Onwuka.
Three others — Irene Appiah Tawiah aka Rubby Appiah, a businesswoman at Achimota; Sarko Fuseini, a security guard of Aviation Security; and Jonas Mantey, a cleaner at the Akwaaba Lounge of the airport — are currently on the run.
Briefing newsmen in Accra on Friday, the Executive Secretary of NACOB, Mr Yaw Akrasi Sarpong, said when Dansoko was arrested on August 10, 2009, he denied carrying any drugs on him but because of intelligence on him, NACOB decided to put him under observation.
Prior to that, he said, NACOB officials arrested Mohammed Iddrisu and Mohammed Mustapha, who had come to welcome Dansoko and take him to a hotel in Accra.
He said Dansoko later admitted to officials of NACOB that he had swallowed a number of pellets of heroin totalling 1.3 kilogrammes.
Mr Akrasi Sarpong said while under investigation, Dansoko expelled 52 pellets until at about 3a.m. on August 13, 2009 when he complained of stomach ache.
He said the suspect was rushed to the Police Hospital where he was pronounced dead at about 11a.m. on Thursday.
With regards to Luckins Atiagaga, who is said to be a Kenyan, NACOB officials at the airport arrested the suspect on July 18, 2009 after it was detected that he had concealed dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp in 75 cakes of toilet soap.
He said the suspect then wrapped the soap with the cover of Premium soap in two travelling bags to avoid detection.
On Camara Souleymane and Bah Mamadou, Mr Akrasi Sarpong said the suspects were arrested on August 1, 2009 while on their way from Afghanistan.
He said although the two suspects denied carrying drugs, Camara expelled 16 pellets of suspected heroin while Bah expelled 37 pellets after they were put under observation.
He said Peter Onwa Ekwene, who had come to meet the suspects at the airport, was also arrested.
With regard to Daniel Kabutey, the Executive Secretary said at about 2am on August 2, 2009, some officials of the Aviation Security spotted Kabutey and Jonas Mantey, pushing a dust bin truck towards the Akwaaba Lounge.
He said when the security officials conducted a search to know what was in the dust bin, they found a black polythene bag containing a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine.
Mr Akrasi Sarpong said the suspects immediately took to their heels but were chased by officials of Aviation Security resulting in the arrest of Kabutey while Jonas escaped.
According to him, Kabutey then mentioned Sarko Fuseini and Rubby Appiah, a former resident in Germany, as their accomplices.
He said Jonas, Fuseini and Rubby were currently on the run.
On Benedict Onwuka, Mr Akrasi Sarpong said the suspect was arrested on August 11, 2009 and he expelled 33 pellets while under investigation.
He expressed appreciation to members of the public who provided such information on couriers.
Mr Akrasi Sarpong pledged that NACOB was working behind the scenes to apprehend the drug barons who were responsible for sponsoring the drug couriers.
He expressed worry about the activities of some lawyers who often tried to impede investigations by claiming that impounding property of suspected drug dealers was abuse of the suspect’s rights.
Mr Akrasi Sarpong urged such lawyers to study the NACOB law before taking any action.
He commended staff of NACOB for their hard work and commitment in the fight against narcotic drugs in the face of poor working conditions.
He gave the assurance that things would soon improve for them and urged them to sustain the fight.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Police mount big hunt for fraudster

Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 14, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE police have mounted a search for a man believed to be a member of an international syndicate that defrauded Citibank of the United Kingdom and one of the bank’s clients of £97,427,74.
The suspect is believed to have taken the identity of a client of the bank, Fungai Ruwende, to open an account with Amal Bank Ghana and then asked Citibank to transfer the said amount into the account in Ghana.
The suspect opened his Amal Bank account on April 22, 2009 with his name as Fungai Hillary Ruwende and P. O. Box KN 2126, Kaneshie and House No. C256, Abeka-Accra as his residential address.
The police believe the addresses both are fake.
The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Frank Adu-Poku, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that between June 3 and June 5, 2009, the wanted man succeeded in withdrawing almost the entire amount including GH¢15,000 on June 3, 2009; GH¢50,000, GH¢40,000 and GH¢18,000 on June 4, 2009 as well as GH¢31,000 and GH¢50,000 on June 5, 2009.
He said the syndicate is believed to have manipulated and intercepted the genuine Ruwende’s e-mail and were able to gain access to his account password and account security procedures.
He said a complaint from Citibank, London, indicated that the genuine Fungai Ruwende is a South African, who maintains an account with Citibank in London.
He said Ruwende is a resident in South Africa and periodically receives bank account statements and correspondence by post from Citibank.
Mr Adu-Poku said Citibank first received an e-mail on March 23, 2009, appearing to have come from the genuine Mr Ruwende, asking the bank to transfer £152,000 from his account to Mitsubishi Tokyo UFJ Bank, Japan to be deposited in the account of a stated beneficiary.
According to him, the bank again received another e-mail request on April 23, 2009, appearing to have come from the genuine Mr Ruwende requesting that his account be closed and the balance of £97,426.74 standing to his credit in the account be transferred to an account in the name of “Fungai Ruwende” with Amalgamated Bank in Accra.
Mr Adu-Poku said the genuine Mr Ruwende, however, contacted Citibank on June 11, 2009 in writing disputing all the activity on his account “and claiming that the transfers were fraudulent and not authorised by him”.
Based on that, he said, Citibank contacted Amal Bank on June 18, 2009 requesting the status of the funds transferred to Amal Bank.
The CID boss said Amal Bank replied to the request of Citibank on June 24, 2009 and stated that a person claiming to be Fungai Ruwende was arrested on June 5, 2009 for “attempting to use dual identity in processing a transaction at one of Amal Bank’s business offices” and was being investigated by the Adabraka Police.
Mr Adu-Poku said Amal Bank also directed Citibank to write through the Bank of Ghana if it required further information.
He said Citibank then referred the matter to the CID to assist in apprehending the suspect.
He said a warrant of arrest had accordingly been issued by the Circuit Court in Accra to effect “Ruwende’s” arrest.
Mr Adu-Poku, therefore, appealed to any member of the public who had information on the whereabouts of the suspect to contact the nearest police station or the CID headquarters.
The Deputy Accra Regional Crime Officer, DSP Cuthbert Anpengnuo, confirmed to the Daily Graphic that the Adabraka Police were looking for “Ruwende” to arrest him.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

5 Soldiers received $4,000 ransom

Page 47: Daily Graphic, August 13, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
IT has emerged that the five soldiers allegedly involved in the kidnapping of the Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, Ghana, Mr Albert Mmegwa, were paid $4,000 as their share of the $100,000 ransom.
It has also emerged that it was Lance Corporal Godwin Avege who allegedly drove Mr Mmegwa’s Range Rover while he and his driver, Mr Richard Makumator, who had been blindfolded, were sandwiched by the other soldiers and taken to a house at East Legon, where suspect George Agyei was the caretaker.
After collecting the $100,000 ransom, the suspects allegedly drove Mr Mmegwa a Toyota Corolla taxi, with registration number GR 4809-09, and dumped him in a bush around Legon PRESEC on April 8, 2009.
Six civilians and five soldiers are currently on remand for allegedly kidnapping Mr Mmegwa on April 6, 2009.
The civilians are Moses Ayouba, 32, alias Chairman, who is alleged to be the kingpin of the gang; Mark Bernard alias Karo, 24; Abdulai Mohammed Takai, 33; all Nigerians; Foster Senoo, 27; Samuel Eklu, 24, and George Adjei, all Ghanaians.
The five soldiers, who are all Lance Corporals, are Henry Adu Yeboah, 25; Godwin Avege 23; Patrick Akeleyira, 26; Thomas Obeng Agyei, 25, and Andrews Dokyi, 26.
At the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Accra yesterday, the five soldiers resisted being taken pictures of them by the CID photographers as part of their investigative procedures.
Not even would the soldiers heed to calls by the CID boss, DCOP Frank Adu-Poku, until personnel from the Panthers Unit were called in to compel them to have their pictures taken.
Mr Adu-Poku told newsmen that the conduct of the soldiers smacked of indiscipline.
He said he had accordingly asked that they should be remanded in prison custody, since their continuous stay in the police cells would be a bad influence on the other inmates.
He said the 11 suspects had been charged with conspiracy to commit crime, kidnapping and extortion.
Mr Adu-Poku explained that taking pictures and fingerprints of suspects was part of the investigative process and made it clear that “nobody was above the law and every suspect would have to go through it”.
He said investigations had so far showed that the kidnappers stopped Mr Mmegwa in the middle of the road as he headed towards his Trassaco estate.
He said the suspects ordered the driver of the managing director, Mr Makumator, to come down and open the boot of the Range Rover vehicle.
According to Mr Adu-Poku, the suspects pushed the driver to the back seat of the vehicle to join Mr Mmegwa after which the soldiers allegedly showed the MD a letter suggesting that he (Mmegwa) was wanted at the Military Headquarters.
He said suspect Avege then allegedly took the steering wheel of the vehicle while they blindfolded their victims in the car.
Mr Adu-Poku said suspects Foster Senoo and Moses Ayouba drove in a taxi ahead of the victim’s Range Rover and took him to a house at East Legon where suspect George Agyei was the caretaker.
“The victims were then kept in a separate dark room and their legs and hands were tied up to a chair on which they sat, blindfolded and without food,” he added.
The CID boss said the five soldiers then drove Mr Mmegwa’s vehicle and abandoned it at Madina.
While in the room, Mr Adu-Poku said the leader of the gang, Moses Ayouba, alias Chairman, collected the MD’s phone to a make a series of phone calls to officials of the bank to demand the ransom.
He said an official of the bank then allegedly met suspect Samuel Eklu around a hotel at North Dzorwulu to collect the $100,000.
Mr Adu-Poku said the leader of the military team, Henry Adu Yeboah, then allegedly met Ayouba in front of the Trade Fair Centre and gave him $4,000 as the soldiers’ share of the ransom.
The Daily Graphic, in its Thursday, August 6, 2009 edition, reported the arrest of six persons suspected to have kidnapped Mr Albert Mmegwa, four months after his abduction on April 6, 2009.
The five soldiers were later arrested after their names were mentioned as accomplices.
Although the bank had earlier denied paying any ransom for his release, the police confirmed that $100,000 was paid before Mr Mmegwa was released on April 8, 2009.

Don't politicise MV Benjamin case

Page 38: Daily Graphic, August 13, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A FORMER Minister of National Security, Mr Francis Poku, has advised Ghanaians, particularly media practitioners, to stop politicising the MV Benjamin case.
He said the blame game which had characterised the MV Benjamin case since 2006, was damaging the country’s image and not that of individuals.
In an interview from his London base, Mr Poku said there had never been any evidence of state-sponsorship in narcotics or government involvement in narcotic dealings.
He reminded Ghanaians that there was only one President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, who had access to every piece of information if he so desired.
He said if after accessing the information available to him, President Mills decided to call for further investigations, so be it, saying that “please allow him to take the decision to open investigations into any matter he so desires”.
According to him, what was going on in the media was not the best for the country as it sent wrong signals to the international community.
Mr Poku said narcotics and terrorism were serious issues that were not being taken lightly by the international community and for people to paint a picture that the state was involved in narcotics was a serious matter.
He said no single individual had come up with any evidence of any government involvement and yet the picture was often created as if there was state involvement.
He said what was going on in the media only represented the work of lobbyists who wanted to paint the persons they represented as innocent or having been wronged.
Mr Poku said there had been any cover-up in the either the MV Benjamin saga or any other case.
He said the institutions and the personnel who were involved in the various narcotic cases were still around, who could be contacted anytime to throw more light on any issue.
According to him, the Narcotics Control Board and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), which were involved in such cases, had come far in the midst of operational challenges and must, therefore, be supported to perform better.
He said if anything went wrong in any case, Ghanaians should not think that it was peculiar to Ghana.
Mr Poku said even in established countries with sophisticated machinery, things go wrong in some of their investigations.
“In such cases, what is important for us as a nation, is help address those challenges, look forward and not to destroy the institutions or stigmatise regimes when things go wrong,” he said.
On his alleged involvement and support for drug traffickers particularly Colombians, Mr Poku denied it.
“If I were involved in anyway, I could not have done it without state institutions and the personnel. The institutions and the personnel are all there, why not contact or verify the allegations,” he said.
Mr Poku said he was not so much worried about his reputation as that of the country, saying that “they are damaging the national image and reputation and not mine”.
He cited the case of Ms Grace Asibi as an instance when a journalist informed him (Poku) that her life was in danger.
“As expected of me, I called the head of the Protection Unit at the National Security, Mr Dodoo, to take over. Does that mean that I was conniving with drug dealers. What if I did not act on the information and she was killed, what would be the accusation against me?” he asked.
Mr Poku said although the Georgina Wood Committee requested that he gave evidence in camera, he opted to make it public.

Three suspected robbers nabbed

Page 14: Daily Graphic, August 12, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Accra Regional Police Command has arrested three suspected armed robbers, one of whom was released from prison custody in September, last year.
Of the two includes a steel bender, who was among a gang that allegedly robbed a victim at East Legon five months ago and also raped their victim’s wife.
The third suspect was also said to be among a different gang that allegedly robbed some revellers at the Karldorf Restaurant in 2007.
The suspects, Godwin Dagadu, alias Abayeshika, 40; Peter Kwaku Aziagborlu, 28, and Yakubu Iddrisu Danjumah, alias Mark Fish, 27, are currently in custody.
Dagadu, who was released from custody on September 14, 2008 while on remand for a March 1, 2003 robbery charge, was arrested at the Holiday Inn Hotel around 3:30 pm on Monday.
Until his arrest, he had been on the payroll of the company since January, this year.
The Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, told newsmen in Accra yesterday that police had information that Dagadu was mobilising some people to attack a house at Aworshie.
He said one of the people Dagadu contacted was his cell mate, who was also released from prison last December.
He said the person, identified only as Okai, however, allegedly discussed it with some other persons and expressed the fear of being killed in view of the recent high deaths of armed robbers.
ACP Yohuno said one of those persons notified the police about the plan being hatched by Dagadu, and he was to meet one of the accomplices at the hotel to discuss the way forward.
Unfortunately, he said, the accomplice could not meet Dagadu.
He said the accomplice then informed his other colleagues that he was unsuccessful in meeting Dagadu.
According to him, when the police had that information, a patrol team was despatched to the hotel to effect the arrest of Dagadu, but the team was met with resistance from the hotel authorities, who insisted the police needed a warrant of arrest before effecting his arrest.
ACP Yohuno said while the police were sorting out things with the hotel authorities who had earlier claimed that there was no staff known by the name Godwin Dagadu at the hotel, the suspect attempted to escape through one of the back doors.
He said the police, who had then surrounded the hotel, arrested him.
As regards Peter Kwaku Aziagborlu, ACP Yohuno said the police had information that he and his gang were planning to attack a house at Kakasunanka on the Tema-Afienya road on Friday night.
He said after the police had planted personnel in the house, the gang did not show up.
He said the police, however, had information that the gang was planning to attack another house at East Legon on Saturday, August 9, 2009 to steal a 4x4 Infinity vehicle.
Other members of Peter’s gang, he said, were identified only as Takyi, Kobby, alias Ajaguer, a barber at Ashaiman, Sefadzi, Jackie and Kofi.
ACP Yohuno said Peter and his gang usually met at the barbering shop of Kobby, which is located behind the Ashaiman Police Station to plan their negarious operations.
He said at around 5 pm when different patrol teams from Accra and Tema got to the barbering shop, members of the gang had already left to join different ‘trotro’ vehicles to assemble at a location at East Legon.
He said the police informant then followed Peter to the Ashaiman lorry station monitoring his movements. According to him, the informant, on seeing Peter board a Nima-bound vehicle, notified the station manager of the presence of Peter in the vehicle and requested that the vehicle be delayed for the police to come and arrest him.
ACP Yohuno said not long after that, the police arrived on the scene to effect the arrest of Peter, who at the time, had a locally manufactured pistol and two rounds of ammunition on him.
He said Peter had allegedly confessed to taking part in three robberies, including one at East Legon during which they raped the wife of a prominent lawyer.
In respect of Mark Fish, ACP Yohuno said the suspect was part of a robbery gang that allegedly robbed some revellers at the Karldorf Restaurant on October 15, 2007 during which they stabbed one of their victims and robbed them of £2,000, $1,000, GH¢2,000 and five mobile phones.
He said with the exception of Mark Fish, all the other members of the gang, David Awatey, Martey, alias Apenabeng and Rashid Yakubu, alias Kawawa, who took part in that robbery, were arrested on October 20, 2007 and were currently facing prosecution.
He said Mark Fish was arrested on August 9, 2009 upon a tip-off at Abeka Lapaz.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Rose Bio Atinga, appealed to employers to endeavour to do background checks on prospective employees before engaging their services.
She commended the Ashaiman GPRTU for their support in arresting Peter, and urged all other organisations to be security conscious.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Abduction: Another soldier arrested

Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 11, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A fifth soldier alleged to be involved in the kidnapping of Mr Albert Mmegwa, the Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, Ghana, on April 6, 2009, has been arrested.
Four other soldiers had earlier been arrested in connection with the case. They are Henry Adu Yeboah, Godwin Avege, Patrick Akeleyera, Thomas Obeng Adjei, all said to be Lance Corporals. The name of the fifth accomplice has been given as Dotse.
Six civilians had early on been arrested by the police in connection with the case.
The civilians are Moses Ayuba, 32, alias Chairman, who is alleged to be the kingpin of the gang; Mark Benad, 24, Abdulai Mohammed Takai, 33, all Nigerians; and Foster Senu, 27, Samuel Eklu, 24, and George Adjei, all Ghanaians.
The Director-General of the CID, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Frank Adu-Poku, told the Daily Graphic last Friday, that four soldiers had been arrested for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of Mr Mmegwa, while a fifth was on the run.
One of the soldiers was arrested last Wednesday, after the Inspector General of Police had written to the Military High Command for their arrest.
Mr Adu-Poku said following his arrest, the first soldier mentioned the names of four other soldiers who were involved in the abduction of Mr Mmegwa.
Mr Adu-Poku said based on that information, three of the soldiers were arrested on Thursday.
He said Mr Mmegwa had earlier indicated to the police that there were six soldiers who approached him as he drove home on that fateful day.
The Daily Graphic, in its Thursday, August 6, 2009 edition, reported the arrest of six persons suspected to have kidnapped Mr Albert Mmegwa, four months after his abduction on April 6, 2009.
Although the bank had earlier denied paying any ransom for his release, the police confirmed that $100,000 was paid before Mr Mmegwa was released on April 8, 2009.

Monday, August 10, 2009

4 Soldiers arrested over MD's abduction

Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 8, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
FOUR soldiers have been arrested by the police for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of Mr Albert Mmegwa, the Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, Ghana, on April 6, 2009.
A fifth soldier is, however, yet to be arrested.
The four, whose names are being withheld, are currently in custody at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters of the Ghana Police Service.
The Director-General of the CID, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Frank Adu-Poku, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that one of the soldiers was arrested last Wednesday, after the Inspector General of Police had written to the Military High Command for their arrest.
He said following his arrest, the first soldier mentioned the names of four other soldiers who were involved in the abduction of Mr Mmegwa.
Mr Adu-Poku said based on that information, three of the soldiers were arrested on Thursday.
He, however, said the police were collaborating with the military authorities to arrest the fifth soldier.
He said Mr Mmegwa had earlier indicated to the police that there were six soldiers who approached him as he drove home on that fateful day.
The Daily Graphic, in its Thursday, August 6, 2009 edition, reported the arrest of six persons suspected to have kidnapped Mr Albert Mmegwa, four months after his abduction on April 6, 2009.
Those who were initially arrested and are still in custody are Moses Ayuba, 32, alias Chairman, who is alleged to be the kingpin of the gang; Mark Benad, 24, Abdulai Mohammed Takai, 33, all Nigerians; and Foster Senu, 27, Samuel Eklu, 24, and George Adjei, all Ghanaians.
Although the bank had earlier denied paying any ransom for his release, the police confirmed that $100,000 was paid before Mr Mmegwa was released on April 8, 2009.

Friday, August 7, 2009

2 More arrested over Ashongman robbery

Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 7, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO more suspects said to be linked to the Ashongman case in which robbers raided a house and dispossessed the occupants of various sums of money have been arrested.
Rauf Suleiman, 28, and Godwin Kofi, 21, are the latest to be arrested after two others, Joseph Adam, 21, and Ben Kwame, 22, had been arrested on the day of the robbery.
A fifth suspect, identified only as Pussycat, is still on the run.
Briefing newsmen in Accra on Thursday, August 6, 2009, the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga, said following the arrest of Joseph and Ben, two cartridges were retrieved from Joseph when the police pursued him after they had been called to the scene by a resident of the house.
Three locally manufactured weapons and some bangles were later retrieved from a kiosk belonging to Rauf at the Kokomba Market.
She said another patrol team arrested Kwame later.
According to her, the police went to the Kokomba Market on Monday after getting information that the other three suspects were hiding there.
DCOP Atinga said none of suspects was found at the hideout when the police called but they were able to retrieve the locally manufactured weapons and bangles in the kiosk that accommodated them.
She reiterated the need for the public to co-operate with the police by providing timely information on suspected criminal activities within their vicinity.
On June 28, 2009, robbers attacked a house at Ashongman and took away GH¢2,800, $1,500, £1,000 and 10 mobile phones.
The Daily Graphic, in its July 1, 2009 edition, published the arrest of Joseph and Ben while they were attempting to escape from neighbours and the police when their victim shouted for help.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

6 Picked over bank MD's abduction

Front Page: Daily Graphic, August 6, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE police have arrested six persons suspected to have kidnapped the Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, Ghana, Mr Albert Mmegwa, four months after his abduction on April 6, 2009.
Although the bank had earlier denied paying any ransom for his release, the police confirmed yesterday that $100,000 had been paid as ransom before Mr Mmegwa was released on April 8, 2009.
The Police Administration has also requested the Military High Command to apprehend some soldiers whose names have been mentioned for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping.
Those in custody are Moses Ayuba, 32, alias Chairman, who is alleged to be the kingpin of the gang; Mark Benad, 24, Abdulai Mohammed Takai, 33, all Nigerians, and Foster Senu, 27, Samuel Eklu, 24, and George Adjei, all Ghanaians.
Narrating the kidnapping incident, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Frank Adu-Poku, told a news conference in Accra yesterday that Mr Mmegwa was kidnapped while he was on his way to his house about 8.00 p.m. on April 6, 2009.
He said persons said to be in military uniform showed him a letter purported to be coming from the Military High Command and invited Mr Mmegwa for “a discussion”.
Mr Adu-Poku said while the MD was going with his abductors, he was blindfolded and taken through town before leading him to an unidentified place where he was held hostage.
He said the MD arranged for the ransom to be paid before he was released two days later.
He explained that initial information received by the police indicated that $50,000 had been paid but investigations later established that $100,000 was paid.
Mr Adu-Poku said unknown to the criminals, who might have thought that they had hit a jackpot, the police put two high-profile investigators of the Intelligence Unit of the Critical Intelligence and Response Team (CIRT) to bring the perpetrators to book.
He said the first suspect, George Adjei, was arrested on July 31, 2009 and it was he who led the police to arrest Samuel Eklu, described as the link man of the kidnappers.
According to him, Eklu then led the police to arrest the remaining suspects.
He said Foster Senu allegedly told the police that a Toyota Corrola taxi, with registration number GR 4809-09, which was retrieved from him had been bought for him by Chairman as his (Senu’s) share of the deal.
Mr Adu-Poku said the investigative process might be slow but explained that the police always wanted to be cautious and professional.
“I feel very fulfilled with the success of my men who made this operation successful,” he said.
He recognised the contribution of the media and members of the public, saying that fighting crime was a shared responsibility and not the preserve of the police alone.

Woman arrested over McCarthy Hill murder

Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 6, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A woman suspected by the police to be connected with the murder of the Managing Director of Summit Industries Limited, Kwame Kyei Apenteng-Mensah, in his room at his McCarthy Hills apartment on July 25, 2009 has been arrested by the police.
The woman, whose name is being withheld, is alleged to have been harassing the deceased for the refund of money she remitted to the deceased for the purchase of a house.
She is said to have remitted $65,000 to the deceased while she was abroad for the purchase of the house.
The late Apenteng-Mensah was said to have failed to live up to the promise and was only able to refund $40,000 to the woman. The woman was said to have persistently demanded the rest of the money from the deceased.
The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Commissioner of Police,Mr Frank Adu-Poku, told newsmen that the police had widened its net to arrest anyone suspected to be linked to Apenteng-Mensah’s murder.
He said two persons initially arrested have been granted police enquiry bail.
Residents of McCarthy Hill woke up to the gruesome murder of Apenteng-Mensah on the morning of Saturday, July 25, 2009, when the body of the 65-year-old man was found near his bed with a stabbed throat.
The late Apenteng-Mensah, whose company produces Le Country mineral water, was said to be living alone with his house help in a separate apartment from that of the other members of his family.

Two held over $2m scam

Page 16: Daily Graphic, August 6, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE police have arrested two persons in connection with two different scams from which they reportedly reaped nearly $2 million.
The first person, a Sports Development Officer of the National Sports Council (NSC), James Armah, was arrested by the police for his alleged involvement in sending players other than the deaf and dumb to Australia in July for an international friendly.
The coach of the team, identified by the police as Winfred Chartey, is currently being sought after by the police.
In the second scam, a business executive, Mohammed Hafis Abdallah, was arrested for swindling an American of $1.9 million.
Hafis, who is said to be the Chief Executive of Halfred Company Ltd, was supposed to supply 320 kilogrammes of gold dust to Dubai-based Omega Strategic Services, owned by an American.
Touching on the deaf and dumb case at a news conference in Accra yesterday, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Frank Adu-Poku, said Armah and his accomplices were alleged to have collected $4,000 each from about 25 hearing Ghanaians to represent the country in an international friendly organised by the Deaf Football Association of Australia.
Sadly, he said, none of the “deaf and dumb” players returned after the trip.
The Ghana News Agency (GNA) reported on August 4, 2009 that the Australian authorities had threatened to drag the Association of Sports for the Disabled of Ghana (ASBOD) to the International Sports Confederation for the Disabled (ISCD) for sanctions, after allegations that Ghana sent hearing players to Australia for the international friendly.
It said the Deaf Football Association of Australia was also demanding US$14,789 from Ghana as refund which covered the cost incurred on Ghana's contingent in Australia, with a deadline fixed for August 14, 2009.
A letter sent to the secretariat of ASBOD and signed by Brian Seymour, the Secretary of the Deaf Football Association of Australia, said, "I'm writing to inform you that Deaf Football Australia and its deaf community are very disappointed and disgusted with your organisation sending hearing players to an international assignment."
It said "the invoice is for expenses for 39 persons who travelled to Australia”.
With regard to the gold scam, Mr Adu-Poku said the suspect signed a contract with Omega Strategic Services for the supply of the gold dust.
He said after the contract, the Dubai-based firm remitted $1.9 million to the suspect through Amalgamated Bank Ltd in June this year.
He said the suspect then withdrew $1.6 million, leaving $300,000 in the account.
Mr Adu-Poku said when the suspect got wind that the police were after him, he threatened to kill anyone who came to effect his arrest.
He said the police, however, undertook a special operation which resulted in his arrest as soon as he came out of his bedroom.

Police arrest suspected armed robber

Page 47: Daily Graphic, August 6, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE police have arrested a 23-year-old suspected armed robber, Stanley Kwabla Kuwornu, said to be the second-in-command to George Aryeetey, who was arrested on July 22, this year.
Kuwornu was arrested at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle on Tuesday, August 5, 2009 following a tip-off.
The Aryeetey-Kuwornu gang is reported to be responsible for a number of robberies in the Accra-Tema area, including filling stations.
The latest was a robbery at East Legon in which all the suspects escaped but abandoned an AK 47 rifle on a farm when the police closed in on them on July 13, 2009.
Unknown to Kuwornu that the police had retrieved the AK 47, he led them to the scene after his arrest to retrieve it.
He has confessed to taking part in four robberies with Aryeetey at the Achimota-East Legon area within the last six months.
Briefing newsmen in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said in the July 13, 2009 robbery, the gang had attacked a house at East Legon and robbed the occupants of some of their personal effects.
He said when the police got to the crime scene, the suspects were about to drive away the house owner’s vehicle but they had to abandon it and scale the wall on seeing the police.
He commended members of the public for their continuous support to the police in the fight against armed robbery.
The Daily Graphic, in its July 24, 2009 edition, published that a 28-year-old man, described by the police as a hardened criminal, had been arrested.
Aryeetey had been on the police wanted list since he engaged them in an exchange of fire and escaped in a number of robbery cases.
They said he was on record as having been convicted of a similar crime in 1999.
A pump action gun, three locally manufactured pistols, one empty shell and personal effects were retrieved from his room in a hotel.
He had scars from what the police said were bullet wounds on his legs, thighs and palm.

Suspect picked

Suspect picked
Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 5, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A SUSPECTED armed robber who escaped arrest during a raid at a house on the Spintex Road in 2007 has been arrested.
Kelvin Asebri Brunu, 32, was arrested following information passed on to the police.
A locally manufactured pistol and two rounds of ammunition were found on him.
The Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, told the Daily Graphic that Kelvin, alias Ken, had been involved in a robbery incident on the Spintex Road in 2007 but he managed to escape.
He said one of Kelvin’s accomplices, identified by the police as Isaac Attram, was jailed early this year by the Accra High Court.
He said the suspect claimed that a Toyota Corolla he was driving belonged to his sister, who resides at Sakumono.
Mr Yohuno said apart from support from the government, the reward system instituted by the Inspector-General of Police was the reason for the success of the police in dealing with armed robbery.
He, therefore, urged members of the public to assist the police with information which would lead to the arrest of suspected criminals, noting that providers of such information would be rewarded.

Ministry to introduce biometric passports soon

Page 25: Daily Graphic, August 5, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration will soon announce a new timetable for the introduction of biometric passports in Ghana.
It said initial plans to introduce them on July 7, this year were aborted as a result of the challenges encountered with the process.
The sector Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, who announced this when he took his turn at the “Meet-the-Press” series in Accra yesterday, gave the assurance that Ghana would beat the 2010 deadline set by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) for countries to use biometric passports.
A biometric passport is a combined paper and electronic identity document that uses biometrics to authenticate the identity of travellers.
The minister explained that apart from conforming with the rest of the world, biometric passports would also help to deal with the problem of non-Ghanaians accessing Ghanaian passports and also the forgery and fraud associated with the current system.
Alhaji Mumuni said two initiatives by the previous administration to introduce biometric passports and an e-passport were stalled but said the present administration had decided to reactivate a contract signed between the past government and the Buck Press to make sure that things were done quickly to beat the deadline.
He said the Passport Office faced a series of challenges, including inadequate computers and working accoutrements to facilitate easy processing and keeping of documents.
On when Ghana expected the United Nations to decide on its request for a claim to the extended continental shelf, which will see the expansion of Ghana’s exclusive economic zone, Alhaji Mumuni said Ghana could not put a time frame on its request but had to wait till the UN decided.
On whether Ghana would effect the arrest of Omar Al-Bashir, the Sudanese Leader, should he arrive in the country today in response to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the minister answered in the negative.
He said although Ghana was a signatory to the Rome Statutory establishing the ICC, it would not turn its back on the African Union (AU) which decided that it could not arrest the Sudanese leader.
He explained that such a position did not, however, mean that Ghana did not accept the authority of the ICC, except that it had to go by the decision of the AU.
Alhaji Mumuni said the pursuit of peace and security would continue to be given high priority in the conduct of Ghana’s foreign policy as they were essential for growth and prosperity.
He said the government recognised the contribution of Ghanaians abroad to the national economy and would, therefore, facilitate and encourage them for purposes of supporting monetary stability and engendering economic growth.
He, however, appealed to Ghanaians seeking to travel abroad to acquire the requisite entry permits and visas of destination countries before embarking on their trips.
He said Ghana had had to receive deportations from countries such as the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Algeria, Morocco and Libya, from where recently 540 Ghanaians were deported.
The minister expressed worry over the challenges facing Ghana’s missions abroad, including office accommodation, which had resulted in threats of ejection of the missions in Dakar and Luanda.
He said within the constraints of the budget of the ministry, an average of $5 million was generated from consular fees and other charges.
Alhaji Mumuni pledged the commitment of the ministry to discharge its traditional duties effectively and efficiently towards projecting a positive image of the country abroad.

Monday, August 3, 2009

National Cardio Centre to be relocated

Page 48: Daily Graphic, August 4, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE National Cardiothoracic Centre is seeking $25 million to relocate and build a Cardiothoracic Hospital for Ghana.
Designs of the new cardiothoracic hospital have already been completed.
A paediatric heart wing that will focus on the care of children with congenital and acquired cardiovascular disease and other specialised units, will be included in the new hospital.
The centre is now seeking for 200 acres to start the project.
Addressing a press conference to launch the 20th anniversary celebrations of the centre in Accra yesterday, the outgoing director of the centre, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, explained that the centre in Korle Bu was getting overcrowded and, therefore, stressed the need to relocate to a new site.
He explained that as more staff members were trained in cardiovascular care, sub-speciality training became a more realistic approach to attain cutting-edge efficiency.
He cited for instance that the centre introduced a Video Assisted Thorascopy Surgery (VATS) service that allowed surgeons to do certain selected cardiothoracic cases without the chest being opened.
“I wish to call on Ghanaians to help make this project a reality. You built the present facility and I believe that you can build the new one as well. Yes we can,” he stated.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said the centre had set a high standard in health institution construction, departmental organisation as well as training and management of hospital personnel, achievements that could not be ignored or wished away.
He said he wanted the success of the centre to inspire others, especially the youth of Ghana, to strive for excellence.
“If heart surgery, which is perhaps the most complex of the surgical disciplines, in terms of equipment inputs and training requirements of personnel, has been made possible in Ghana by Ghanaians with our own resources and management skills, then it should be possible for us as a people to excel in all areas of our national life,” he said.
“From my own personal observation, the public health delivery system is collapsing and if nothing is done to arrest the factors contributing to the decay, in about 10 years, there will be no system to write about,” he said.
The major problem he identified was the attitude of health workers toward public property, saying that several factors fed into the malaise as there was very little commitment to growth and development of public institutions.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said the celebration of the 20th anniversary should serve as a springboard for strategic thinking into the future.
“From a sole crusader and a few supporting staff 20 years ago, the staff strength has grown to over 130 in all categories. I am particularly happy and blessed to see that there are now six other qualified and motivated heart surgeons who are ready to keep the torch I lit 20 years ago burning,” he stated.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said there were major factors that militated against the establishment of centres of excellence in the third world.
Those factors, he said, included attitudinal issues, lack of trained personnel or requisite human resource, lack of facilities, poor maintenance culture and poor remuneration of workers.
Based on those factors, he said, there was the need to let members of staff realise that Ghanaian medical personnel had the capacity to establish symbols of medical excellence without depending on others, saying that any assistance, if at all necessary, should not make Ghanaians dependent on perpetual infusion of foreign aid and expertise.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said the most important factor in the success story of the centre was the human capital as continuous education and further training of personnel were taken seriously.
He said the centre was now the site for the practical training for the Peri-operative and Critical Nursing Training Programme of the Ministry of Health and also accredited by the West African College of Surgeons as the Centre of Excellence for the training of cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiac anaesthetists and cardiologists for the West African sub-region.

Frimpong-Boateng quits Cardio Centre

Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 4, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has quit the administration of the centre.
This is to enable those he terms “the new generation” to continue with the running of the centre and shape it for the future.
Since the centre was established in 1989, six Ghanaians and 25 others from Nigeria, Togo, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia have been trained as qualified heart surgeons.
Announcing this at a press conference to launch the 20th anniversary of the centre in Accra yesterday, Prof Frimpong-Boateng said his decision to quit was to give room to the younger generation of surgeons to take the centre to a new level.
He said he wanted to quit 10 years ago but was held back to ensure that the right systems were in place for any person to run the place.
“I wish to announce that after 20 years, the time has come for me to say good bye to front-line service at the cardiothoracic centre and hand over the day-to-day administration and responsibilities to the next generation,” he said.
He said he wanted to make a point that no one was indispensable at the centre.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng said every person at the centre had some responsibilities to fulfil, explaining that each intensive care unit (ICU) nurse had one or more areas to organise while one surgeon was responsible for maintaining good stocks of all items needed for open heart surgery.
“With such a system in place, all areas of the centre are covered by responsible individuals who, in the end, make sure that the entire centre works like a clockwork,” he said.
He was particularly happy that the attitude of staff towards seeing the centre as their own and taking care of everything there, as well as patients, had kept the centre running without an industrial action since its establishment.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng said if all Ghanaian adopted such attitude, Ghana would be lifted from its present state to a wealth-creation country.
He said the most important achievement at the centre was duplicating his skills by training other qualified health professionals, including heart surgeons, nurses and anaethestists.
He said Ghana had so much potential and that if it was able to get just 200 Ghanaians in each sector of the country to have the right attitude, “Ghana will never be the same”.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng urged Ghanaians to motivate themselves to create wealth instead of looking up to the government and politicians to create wealth for them, adding that “no one can provide you with all that you need”.
He urged public servants in particular to adopt a positive attitude to work and let the interest of Ghana reign supreme in the discharge of their duties.
He said sabotaging the government of the day because one did not support it was not in the interest of Ghana.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng expressed his appreciation to all Ghanaians for supporting the establishment of the centre and urged them to be proud of it as the centre was the only functional cardiovascular surgery centre in the sub-region.

British-Jamaican fugitive grabbed *Thanks to collaboration between Ghana, British police

Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 3, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A COLLABORATION between the British police and their Ghanaian counterparts has led to the arrest of a British-Jamaican who escaped from the grips of the law in London.
Tyron Darren Woodhouse, 37, alias Kofi Watts Darws, was arrested last Thursday when his flight touched down at the Kotoka International Airport.
The police in Ghana are currently seeking Tyron’s Ghanaian accomplices who managed to secure him a Ghanaian birth certificate and a passport to facilitate his trip to Ghana.
His birth certificate was issued on April 2, 2008, while his Ghanaian passport, number H2249542, was issued in Accra on June 18, 2008.
Briefing newsmen in Accra at the weekend, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Frank Adu-Poku, said the British police informed the Police Administration in December 2007 that Tyron had been involved in a series of murders in London.
He said the British police informed their Ghanaian counterparts that Tyron was facing trial and that they had information that he was liaising with some Ghanaians to secure a Ghanaian passport to travel to Ghana as a Ghanaian.
DCOP Adu-Poku said to facilitate the deal, Tyron changed his name to Kofi Watts Darws on the passport application form, with Accra Academy as the last school he attended.
He said the police in Ghana then mounted surveillance at the Kotoka International Airport, since Tyron could arrive anytime soon.
He said the police had information that Tyron left London on July 30, 2009 and was heading to Ghana.
DCOP Adu-Poku said a team of policemen was detailed to the airport to effect the suspect’s arrest.

Suspected fraudster arrested again

Page 47: Daily Graphic, August 3, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
LESS than 24 hours after a suspected fraudster, Richard Kumah, 45, had been released on police enquiry bail by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for fraud, he was arrested again by the Accra Regional Police Command for allegedly dealing in fake currency.
The suspect, who had been in custody at the CID Headquarters since July 30, 2009, was arrested at dawn on Saturday, August 1, 2009 after he had been granted the police enquiry bail on Friday, July 31, 2009 for allegedly defrauding an American businessman of more than $86,000.
Kumah was arrested by the Accra Regional Police Command in a special operation led by its Deputy Commander, ACP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, resulting in the retrieval of a trunk load of suspected fake dollars.
An attempt to bribe the police with $5,000 for them to deal with the matter privately was turned down.
Minutes after his arrest at his home at Kisseman in Accra, Kumah used his cell phone to flash a senior police officer (name withheld) for reasons he refused to divulge to the police team.
Unfortunately for the suspect, when the senior officer called, he informed the police team that Kumah was to be put before court on Monday, August 3, 2009 on charges of fraud.
Three of the suspect’s four-by-four vehicles, including a Lincoln Navigator fitted with DVD video systems, were towed to the Accra Regional Police Command, while his two magnificent houses were put under police guard.
Kumah has, however, denied dealing in fake currency, alleging that the trunk load of dollars, which is estimated to be more than $10 million, belonged to a deceased Alhaji.
One of the bundles which the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rose Bio Atinga, showed to the newsmen bore the same serial number, AB 91022272.
All the bills in the trunk were $100 bills. Pieces of paper cut to the size of the dollar bills were also stashed in between some of the fake bills.
Briefing newsmen in Accra on Saturday, DCOP Atinga said the police had intelligence that the suspect dealt in fake currency.
She said ACP Yohuno worked on the intelligence and when it was affirmed that it was genuine, the police decided to strike about 4 a.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2009.
She said the trunk load of fake dollars was hidden among lorry tyres and other accoutrements in a corner of the suspect’s house.
She expressed concern over the activities of fake currency dealers, as they posed serious economic challenges to the Ghanaian economy.
She explained that apart from causing inflationary tendencies in the economy, dealers in fake currency tended to drive away genuine investors for fear of being defrauded.
DCOP Atinga appealed to members of the public to always visit accredited forex bureaux for their foreign exchange transactions, instead of going to the black market.
ACP Yohuno urged Ghanaians who wanted to make money to engage in genuine businesses and not fake currency, drugs or other criminal activities.
He said anytime inflation went up, Ghanaians turned around to blame the government in power but said it was through the nefarious activities of fake currency dealers and money launderers that the economy suffered.
He appealed to members of the public to assist the police with information on any suspicious dealings of persons within their communities to enable the police to investigate their backgrounds.
On the suspect’s fraud case at the CID Headquarters, the Head of the Vetting and Criminal Intelligence Analysis (VCIA) of the CID, Superintendent Dennis Akob Abade, told the Daily Graphic that Kumah, who is the Chief Executive of Riandre Mining Ltd, promised to provide gold for his unsuspecting victim, Mr Richard Gallman, the Chief Executive and President of Amerigold Universal Outreach Incorporated.
He said after making his victim to part with more than $86,000, Kumah started playing hide and seek with him.
According to Supt Abade, Kumah was arrested following investigations into a complaint lodged by the victim.

Four robbers nabbed

Page 47: Daily Graphic, August 3, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
FOUR suspected armed robbers were arrested last Saturday night after their abortive armed robbery operation at Tantra Hill in Accra.
The four, Kingsley Asante, 19, Kojo Panyin Poku, 20, Kojo Kakra Poku, 20, and Emmanuel Chaka, are currently at the Accra Regional Police Headquarters.
A fifth suspect, identified only as Tinko, died from gunshot wounds after he had jumped from the vehicle in which they were being taken to the Kwabenya Police Station and shot at the police to escape arrest.
The abortive robbery, which was an initiative of Asante, was to have been executed on his father, identified as Mr Ennin Sefa, a pharmacist.
Asante was alleged to have asked Tinko to mobilise some persons to attack his (Asante’s) father for allegedly neglecting his responsibilities to good care for him (Asante) after Mr Sefa divorced Asante’s mother five years ago.
Briefing the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga, said about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2009, the police/military patrol team stopped a taxi which was being used by the five suspected robbers around Dome in Accra for interrogation.
She said a search on the vehicle showed that the occupants had hidden machetes, a knife and a club in the boot of the taxi.
She said Asante allegedly confessed to asking Tinko to mobilise people to rob Mr Sefa at Tantra Hill.
DCOP Atinga said the police then decided to take the suspects to the Kwabenya Police Station to be detained for further questioning.
Unknown to the police, Tinko, who had hidden a pistol in his pants, pulled out the gun and started shooting at the police in a bid to escape arrest.
The regional commander said Tinko died from bullet wounds he sustained from the police as he tried to escape.
She said Asante and his other accomplices confirmed that it was his idea that they should rob Mr Sefa.
She said upon reaching Mr Sefa’s house at Tantra Hill, the robbers decided that they should beat a retreat.
DCOP Atinga said it was on their way back that the police/military team intercepted them at Dome.

HORRIFIC * Man, 40, kills brother, 25, for ritual purposes

Front Page: Daily Graphic, August 1, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Techiman Police are holding a 40-year-old farmer for allegedly murdering his 25-year-old brother for ritual purposes.
Weah Kontomah Seidu, the suspect, butchered his victim, Tang Dery, decapitated him and kept parts on the body on the farm for rituals.
The arrest of Seidu, who has been remanded into police custody, was triggered by the discovery of his 15-year-old daughter, Doris Zumori, in one of the waste bins placed by Zoomlion Ghana Ltd at Deasempa, a suburb of Techiman, with several machete wounds inflicted on her.
Confirming the incident to the Daily Graphic, the Techiman Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Steve Ntim, said a woman who had gone to dump refuse in the waste container at Deasempa on Saturday, July 25, 2009 found Doris severely butchered and in excruciating pain.
He said the woman raised an alarm, resulting in neighbours going out to assist in rushing Doris to the Holy Family Hospital in the municipality for medical attention.
He said while the police were following up at the hospital, the deceased’s two brothers reported to the police that Dery had not returned from the farm at Aworopata, near Techiman, the previous day, July 24, 2009 with his elder brother Seidu.
Supt Ntim said after receiving some treatment at the hospital, Doris told the police that it was her father who had inflicted machete wounds on her after she had asked of the deceased’s whereabouts.
According to the police boss, Doris said she was surprised not to have seen the deceased after her father had returned from the farm alone.
He said at the police station, the two other brothers of deceased also told the police that the deceased had not returned from the farm with Seidu and, therefore, they suspected that the suspect could have killed him after they heard that the suspect had attempted to murder his daughter.
Based on that, he said, Seidu was arrested and, upon interrogation, he allegedly admitted killing Dery.
Supt Ntim said Seidu then took the police to the farm where Dery’s bicycle, mobile phone and other farm accessories were found.
He said the suspect then took the police to a palm tree where he had placed Dery’s head on the palm frond, while the decapitated body was lying close by.
He said when Seidu was interrogated, he claimed he was preserving the head to take to Lawra in the Upper West Region for ritual purposes to seek protection.

Suspected robber killed in shoot-out

Page 3: Daily Graphic, August 1, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
AN exchange of fire between four suspected armed robbers and a police/military patrol team at Kasoa has resulted in the death of one of the robbers.
The three others managed to escape.
A pistol and a cutlass were retrieved from the scene of the robbery.
Briefing newsmen in Accra today, the Accra Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Emmanuel Frank Adufati said the police/military team at Amanfrom were informed that four suspected armed robbers had attacked some persons at gun-point at Kasoa.
He said the robbers had collected GH¢80 and a CD walkman player from their victims, who were traders in fanmilk products.
He said not satisfied with what they got from their first victims, the suspected armed robbers entered a house with the view of robbing the occupants.
According to Supt. Adufati, because the police/military team was right on time, the suspected robbers could not rob the occupants of the house.
He said the robbers, rather opened fire at the police/military team with the view of escaping.
Supt. Adufati said one of the robbers was hit by a bullet resulting in his instant death.
The body of the deceased, he said, had been deposited at the Police Hospital Mortuary.

Let President's commendation inspire us - IGP

Page 21: Daily Graphic, August 1, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, has challenged personnel of the Ghana Police Service to be motivated by the thumbs-up given them by President John Evans Atta Mills to step up the fight against violent crime in the country.
He said they should be encouraged by that special commendation to do better to improve upon the safety and security of the people so as to earn them the applause of the ordinary man in the street.
Mr Quaye was addressing the weekly IGP Parade at the Police Headquarters in Accra as part of measures to check the punctuality and smart turn-out of personnel to work.
The IGP said he and the entire leadership of the Police Administration would provide them with the right leadership to ensure that they sustain and improve upon the good work done so far.
He said the responsibility of the leadership of the service was to help regain public confidence in the police and also redeem the sunken image of the police.
That, he said, required that personnel display exemplary qualities through professionalism, commitment and dedication to the task the state had engaged them to do.
Mr Quaye said the re-training of personnel to improve upon their practical policing to serve the public was currently underway.
He said every police man and woman would have his or her turn to sharpen their skills to enable them serve the public better.
A number of police personnel the Daily Graphic spoke to, said the commendation by the President was most heart-warming and motivating to perform better.
While inaugurating the Police Council at the Castle, Osu on Tuesday, President John Evans Atta Mills applauded the Ghana Police Service and expressed his admiration for the courage and sacrifices being exhibited by the officers and men of the service in confronting violent crime in the country
He said he was satisfied with the measures being taken by the Police Administration to deal with crime, particularly armed robbery, and reiterated his determination to ensure that the security services were well equipped to enable them to fight vices in society and safeguard the interests and welfare of the people.

Police arrest car-snatching syndicate member

Page 64: Daily Graphic, July 31, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Kintampo Police have arrested a welder at Kintampo after he had been named as a partner in car-snatching deals in Accra.
Kofi Baffour was arrested after his brother, George Kofi Adu, alias “My People”, had been arrested by some members of the public at the ABC Accra-Lagos Station at Kokomlemle in Accra on Wednesday.
Baffour is alleged to be the agent for snatched cars at Kintampo.
Adu was arrested when a passer-by, who saw two pistols in Adu’s pockets raised an alarm, which attracted other people.
When a police patrol team whisked him to the Accra Regional Police Headquarters, Adu confessed to having snatched four cars between April and May this year, together with his friend, whom he identified as German Owusu.
Adu confessed to usually getting their victims drunk before taking the vehicles away from them.
He was identified by two police officers as having been present during an identification parade at the Regional Police Headquarters last week.
He admitted to snatching four cars, two Nissan Primeras in Accra, including that of his friend, whom he named as Paa Kwesi, and two Tico taxis at Nkawkaw.
The Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, ACP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, told the Daily Graphic that the police had a distress call that an armed robber had been arrested at the ABC Accra-Lagos bus terminal.
He said a police patrol team rushed to the scene where it rescued Adu from the mob and also managed to foil an attempt by some motorbike riders to whisk Adu away.
ACP Yohuno said during interrogation, Adu mentioned his friend, Owusu, who is a tyler, as his accomplice and claimed that they sold each of the Nissan Primeras for GH¢3,200, while the Tico cars were sold at GH¢2,500 each.