Page 3: Daily Graphic, September 9, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Chief Executive Officer of Exopa Modelling Agency, Ibrahim Sima, has been arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking.
Five kilogrammes of suspected cocaine were concealed in four tubers of yam which were alleged to be part of his luggage.
A 4X4 Range Rover vehicle with personal identification number, EXOPA 7 Y, belonging to him has been impounded at the offices of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB).
Sima, 39, was arrested at about 11 pm at the Kotoka International Airport while going through departure formalities to travel to Germany.
Personnel of NACOB have already searched the residence of Sima at Community 10 in Tema.
At the time of filing this report, NACOB officials were interrogating the suspect.
The Public Relations Officer of NACOB, Mr Francis Opoku Amoah, told the Daily Graphic that investigations were ongoing and that any other details would be made available later.
He said another businessman, James Owusu, suspected to have swallowed 50 pellets of heroin, was also arrested at about 10:20 p.m. last Sunday while going through departure formalities at the Kotoka International Airport to travel to Dubai via Addis Ababa.
He said Owusu had since expelled all the pellets.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Three in police grips * For attempting to export wee
Page 28: Daily Graphic, September 5, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE police have arrested three persons for allegedly attempting to export Indian hemp stuffed in drums to the United Kingdom.
Rastafarian Obeng Karikari, 53, who works with the Pharmacy Department of the La General Hospital, Seidi Ibrahim, 28, a carver and Joseph David Theodore, 27, a musician, are currently in custody at the Accra Regional Police Headquarters.
They were arrested at the Arts Centre in Accra following a tip-off that they were about to send the drums to the Ghana Post to be posted to London.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rose Bio Atinga, told newsmen in Accra yesterday that police had information that a group of persons were stuffing Indian hemp into drums to export to London.
She said the informant had said that the culprits often bought the drums somewhere else and gave it to Ibrahim, the carver, to remove the leather cover and stuff the drums with the dried leaves.
According to her, Ibrahim would then reseal the drums and send it to Karikari, who in turn sent it to the Ghana Post for exportation to London.
DCOP Atinga said Karikari informed the police upon his arrest that that was the second time he was sending the drugs to a friend in London.
She said the suspect claimed he sent the last consignment through the post.
But an unrepentant Karikari told newsmen that arresting people for dealing in Indian hemp was a bad law.
He said the police must look at serious crimes and not persons who dealt in Indian hemp.
For his part, Ibrahim said, he was paid GH¢40 by Karikari to stuff the drums and reseal them for him.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE police have arrested three persons for allegedly attempting to export Indian hemp stuffed in drums to the United Kingdom.
Rastafarian Obeng Karikari, 53, who works with the Pharmacy Department of the La General Hospital, Seidi Ibrahim, 28, a carver and Joseph David Theodore, 27, a musician, are currently in custody at the Accra Regional Police Headquarters.
They were arrested at the Arts Centre in Accra following a tip-off that they were about to send the drums to the Ghana Post to be posted to London.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rose Bio Atinga, told newsmen in Accra yesterday that police had information that a group of persons were stuffing Indian hemp into drums to export to London.
She said the informant had said that the culprits often bought the drums somewhere else and gave it to Ibrahim, the carver, to remove the leather cover and stuff the drums with the dried leaves.
According to her, Ibrahim would then reseal the drums and send it to Karikari, who in turn sent it to the Ghana Post for exportation to London.
DCOP Atinga said Karikari informed the police upon his arrest that that was the second time he was sending the drugs to a friend in London.
She said the suspect claimed he sent the last consignment through the post.
But an unrepentant Karikari told newsmen that arresting people for dealing in Indian hemp was a bad law.
He said the police must look at serious crimes and not persons who dealt in Indian hemp.
For his part, Ibrahim said, he was paid GH¢40 by Karikari to stuff the drums and reseal them for him.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Cocaine ship sailed from Brazil
Page 20: Daily Graphic, September 4, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
INFORMATION available to the Daily Graphic on the movement of St Efrem, the vessel impounded at the Tema Port for carrying five sacks of suspected cocaine, indicates that the vessel sailed from Santos, Brazil on August 13, 2009 after it arrived there on August 8, 2009.
Until the arrest of the vessel last Tuesday, it was the fourth time St Efrem was coming to Ghana, particularly the Tema Port.
It first came to Tema on March 23, 2008 but left before May 1, 2008.
Its second coming was on September 14, 2008 and left on September 24, 2008 and made a third appearance on November 10, 2008 and left on November 24, 2008 enroute to Lome, Togo.
Prior to its arrival on September 1, 2009 at the Tema port, St Efrem had berthed in Lome on July 3, 2009 and reported to have left Lome before August 8, 2009 for Santos, Brazil.
While in Santos, Brazil, St Efrem loaded 14,000 tonnes of sugar, 8,000 tonnes of which was meant for a Ghanaian importer, Taj Investments, with the remaining 6,000 tonnes heading for Congo Brazzaville.
Information available to the Daily Graphic also indicates that the Captain of the ship, Mr Fernandes Alejandro, was engaged in Lome, Togo on July 9, 2009 while the Chief Officer, Rene Sagre, was engaged in Santos, Brazil on August 8, 2009 with the deceased, Jose Saavedra Quinanola, engaged on August 18, 2008 in Santos, Brazil.
With the exception of one crew member, a Bangladeshi, all the other crew members are Philippinos.
Three of the Philipino crew members and the Bangladeshi were all recruited in Tema between September and November 2008.
With International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number 7617125 and San Evans Maritime as its registered owner, St Efrem had come under intelligence surveillance for a while with the Drug Enforcement Administration of the USA, the International Police Organisation (INTERPOL), Brazilian and Togolese authorities confirming the suspicion that there was contraband goods on the vessel beside the legitimate cargo.
The acting Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), Mr Yaw Akrasi-Sarpong, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that but for such international collaboration, the vessel could have discharged the suspected cocaine along the shores of Ghana before berthing at the Tema Port.
He, however, said the Togolese and Ivorien authorities backed the Ghana Air Force and Ghana Navy with the US providing technical support to prevent the crew from dumping the suspected cocaine into the waters for their agents to pick.
"We beefed up operations at the coastal areas to monitor the ship's movements until it berthed. We became suspicious when the captain informed the Port Master in Tema that its engine had broken down," he said.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong said the Ghanaian authorities became more suspicious when they received conflicting reports about its time of arrival.
He said NACOB's international partners had provided pictures of the loading and weighing of the five bags of suspected cocaine in the vessel before it set off from Santos, Brazil to facilitate investigations.
He said the crew members had been interrogated in the presence of their lawyer, Mr Yaw Darko Asare of Beulah Chambers in Tema.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong said impounding the vessel and its contents did not mean that the importers of the sugar were behind the cocaine importation.
He said unless the investigations proved otherwise, nobody should jump into conclusions and put out information to wrongly accuse anyone.
Story: Albert K. Salia
INFORMATION available to the Daily Graphic on the movement of St Efrem, the vessel impounded at the Tema Port for carrying five sacks of suspected cocaine, indicates that the vessel sailed from Santos, Brazil on August 13, 2009 after it arrived there on August 8, 2009.
Until the arrest of the vessel last Tuesday, it was the fourth time St Efrem was coming to Ghana, particularly the Tema Port.
It first came to Tema on March 23, 2008 but left before May 1, 2008.
Its second coming was on September 14, 2008 and left on September 24, 2008 and made a third appearance on November 10, 2008 and left on November 24, 2008 enroute to Lome, Togo.
Prior to its arrival on September 1, 2009 at the Tema port, St Efrem had berthed in Lome on July 3, 2009 and reported to have left Lome before August 8, 2009 for Santos, Brazil.
While in Santos, Brazil, St Efrem loaded 14,000 tonnes of sugar, 8,000 tonnes of which was meant for a Ghanaian importer, Taj Investments, with the remaining 6,000 tonnes heading for Congo Brazzaville.
Information available to the Daily Graphic also indicates that the Captain of the ship, Mr Fernandes Alejandro, was engaged in Lome, Togo on July 9, 2009 while the Chief Officer, Rene Sagre, was engaged in Santos, Brazil on August 8, 2009 with the deceased, Jose Saavedra Quinanola, engaged on August 18, 2008 in Santos, Brazil.
With the exception of one crew member, a Bangladeshi, all the other crew members are Philippinos.
Three of the Philipino crew members and the Bangladeshi were all recruited in Tema between September and November 2008.
With International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number 7617125 and San Evans Maritime as its registered owner, St Efrem had come under intelligence surveillance for a while with the Drug Enforcement Administration of the USA, the International Police Organisation (INTERPOL), Brazilian and Togolese authorities confirming the suspicion that there was contraband goods on the vessel beside the legitimate cargo.
The acting Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), Mr Yaw Akrasi-Sarpong, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that but for such international collaboration, the vessel could have discharged the suspected cocaine along the shores of Ghana before berthing at the Tema Port.
He, however, said the Togolese and Ivorien authorities backed the Ghana Air Force and Ghana Navy with the US providing technical support to prevent the crew from dumping the suspected cocaine into the waters for their agents to pick.
"We beefed up operations at the coastal areas to monitor the ship's movements until it berthed. We became suspicious when the captain informed the Port Master in Tema that its engine had broken down," he said.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong said the Ghanaian authorities became more suspicious when they received conflicting reports about its time of arrival.
He said NACOB's international partners had provided pictures of the loading and weighing of the five bags of suspected cocaine in the vessel before it set off from Santos, Brazil to facilitate investigations.
He said the crew members had been interrogated in the presence of their lawyer, Mr Yaw Darko Asare of Beulah Chambers in Tema.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong said impounding the vessel and its contents did not mean that the importers of the sugar were behind the cocaine importation.
He said unless the investigations proved otherwise, nobody should jump into conclusions and put out information to wrongly accuse anyone.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
POLITICIANS & MEDIA BLAMED * For nation's woes
Front Page: Daily Graphic, September 3, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
LEADING members of the Catholic and Presbyterian churches in Ghana have taken politicians and the media to task for the spectre of a polarised nation which appears to be hanging over the country.
The strong reaction was apparently provoked by the recent Akwatia by-election, the Agbogbloshie bloodbath and events leading to the pending by-election at Chireponi.
While castigating the media for dwelling too much on bad news and too little on good news, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, condemned politicians for inflammatory statements and for fomenting divisiveness for their own political agenda.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Most Rev Palmer-Buckle reminded media practitioners that the world needed good news and not the old acrimony, be it tribal, political or religious.
“I will plead with the media to talk about differences and not tell Ghanaians that the nation is divided into two and pit one against the other. The media must give our children, youth and Ghanaians a better future,” he said.
Most Rev Palmer-Buckle, who is the Vice President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, said he was personally convinced that what was happening was a seeming polarisation of the nation.
“Seeming polarisation because I want to blame the media for exacerbating the differences as if all Ghanaians are polarised. Having political differences or holding different political opinions is no indication of polarisation,” he said.
He said when he listened to some of the discussions and debates on the electronic media or read some articles in the print media, “I am tempted to say that the media is not wielding that double-edged sword of informing and transforming, which is the power of the word, constructively”.
The Catholic Archbishop also cautioned politicians, both past and present, not to indulge in inflammatory statements or foment divisiveness for their own political agenda.
According to him, democracy was a painstaking exercise, which must take into consideration the rule of law and the opinions of different stakeholders in the development of the country.
“If democracy is the rule of the people, by the people and for the people, then the people should be able to have a say without entering into conflict,” he said.
Most Rev Palmer-Buckle, therefore, appealed to Ghanaians to learn from the sad experience of Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Niger and elsewhere so that “we do not go the same way”.
He said the only way not to tread that path “is by respecting the laws of the country and supporting the rule of law and not the rule of might and by patiently allowing whoever we have voted into power to govern this country with the lawful machinery of governance that has been put in place”.
He said since Ghanaians were very religious, everyone needed to pray for “God to temper all hotheads with the balm of divine patience for the good of this country”.
Most Rev Palmer-Buckle said Ghana had received a lot of commendation after the 2008 elections and the transition from the NPP to the NDC and, therefore, urged Ghanaians to stay focused on its democratic path.
“Ghana has become a beacon of hope for Africa in democratic maturation and governance. Let us keep that positive flame burning,” he stated.
He said the clergy’s promotion of national unity and patriotism based on the common brotherhood as fellow Ghanaians would achieve greater effect since people from all the political persuasions and ethnic backgrounds were in the churches and mosques.
“We, as religious leaders, have been in touch with the various groups of leaders in our country and we will do everything within our human possibilities, supported by prayer, to guide this country along the path of peace and of peaceful co-existence amongst all our fellow Ghanaians,” he said.
And the Presbyterian Church of Ghana , in a pastoral letter, noted its apprehension for “the penchant for political parties, politicians, the media and serial callers to politicise every issue”, which, it said, was a drawback to national development.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its ninth General Assembly at Abetifi, the Presbyterian Church expressed concern about the politicisation of every issue by political parties, politicians and the media.
It also expressed concern about the high level of sensationalism and unprofessionalism in the media and called on the Ghana Journalists Association to be in partnership with the owners of media houses, media training institutions, and the National Media Commission to help correct the trend.
The communiqué also expressed concern about the “Sakawa” and the drug menace among the youth, as well as the security situation in the country with particular reference to the recent Agbogloshie incident, which, it said, threatened the peace and stability of the nation.
It further expressed concern about the reported attacks and closures of some government offices in some parts of the country and appealed to the President, Prof J.E.A. Mills, to initiate steps and appropriate action to nip the situation in the bud.
It congratulated the first woman Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Banford-Addo, and elected Members of Parliament on their assumption of office and called on the Legislature to expedite action on the passage of the Right to Information Bill to further strengthen Ghana’s democratic credentials.
On the Judiciary, the communiqué expressed worry about the poor state of some court buildings in the country, especially the lower courts and the perennial lack of resources necessary for an efficient judicial process.
“We wish to remind the government of its promise to separate the office of the Attorney General from the Minister of Justice to make the Attorney General independent of the strings of government,” it added.
Story: Albert K. Salia
LEADING members of the Catholic and Presbyterian churches in Ghana have taken politicians and the media to task for the spectre of a polarised nation which appears to be hanging over the country.
The strong reaction was apparently provoked by the recent Akwatia by-election, the Agbogbloshie bloodbath and events leading to the pending by-election at Chireponi.
While castigating the media for dwelling too much on bad news and too little on good news, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, condemned politicians for inflammatory statements and for fomenting divisiveness for their own political agenda.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Most Rev Palmer-Buckle reminded media practitioners that the world needed good news and not the old acrimony, be it tribal, political or religious.
“I will plead with the media to talk about differences and not tell Ghanaians that the nation is divided into two and pit one against the other. The media must give our children, youth and Ghanaians a better future,” he said.
Most Rev Palmer-Buckle, who is the Vice President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, said he was personally convinced that what was happening was a seeming polarisation of the nation.
“Seeming polarisation because I want to blame the media for exacerbating the differences as if all Ghanaians are polarised. Having political differences or holding different political opinions is no indication of polarisation,” he said.
He said when he listened to some of the discussions and debates on the electronic media or read some articles in the print media, “I am tempted to say that the media is not wielding that double-edged sword of informing and transforming, which is the power of the word, constructively”.
The Catholic Archbishop also cautioned politicians, both past and present, not to indulge in inflammatory statements or foment divisiveness for their own political agenda.
According to him, democracy was a painstaking exercise, which must take into consideration the rule of law and the opinions of different stakeholders in the development of the country.
“If democracy is the rule of the people, by the people and for the people, then the people should be able to have a say without entering into conflict,” he said.
Most Rev Palmer-Buckle, therefore, appealed to Ghanaians to learn from the sad experience of Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Niger and elsewhere so that “we do not go the same way”.
He said the only way not to tread that path “is by respecting the laws of the country and supporting the rule of law and not the rule of might and by patiently allowing whoever we have voted into power to govern this country with the lawful machinery of governance that has been put in place”.
He said since Ghanaians were very religious, everyone needed to pray for “God to temper all hotheads with the balm of divine patience for the good of this country”.
Most Rev Palmer-Buckle said Ghana had received a lot of commendation after the 2008 elections and the transition from the NPP to the NDC and, therefore, urged Ghanaians to stay focused on its democratic path.
“Ghana has become a beacon of hope for Africa in democratic maturation and governance. Let us keep that positive flame burning,” he stated.
He said the clergy’s promotion of national unity and patriotism based on the common brotherhood as fellow Ghanaians would achieve greater effect since people from all the political persuasions and ethnic backgrounds were in the churches and mosques.
“We, as religious leaders, have been in touch with the various groups of leaders in our country and we will do everything within our human possibilities, supported by prayer, to guide this country along the path of peace and of peaceful co-existence amongst all our fellow Ghanaians,” he said.
And the Presbyterian Church of Ghana , in a pastoral letter, noted its apprehension for “the penchant for political parties, politicians, the media and serial callers to politicise every issue”, which, it said, was a drawback to national development.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its ninth General Assembly at Abetifi, the Presbyterian Church expressed concern about the politicisation of every issue by political parties, politicians and the media.
It also expressed concern about the high level of sensationalism and unprofessionalism in the media and called on the Ghana Journalists Association to be in partnership with the owners of media houses, media training institutions, and the National Media Commission to help correct the trend.
The communiqué also expressed concern about the “Sakawa” and the drug menace among the youth, as well as the security situation in the country with particular reference to the recent Agbogloshie incident, which, it said, threatened the peace and stability of the nation.
It further expressed concern about the reported attacks and closures of some government offices in some parts of the country and appealed to the President, Prof J.E.A. Mills, to initiate steps and appropriate action to nip the situation in the bud.
It congratulated the first woman Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Banford-Addo, and elected Members of Parliament on their assumption of office and called on the Legislature to expedite action on the passage of the Right to Information Bill to further strengthen Ghana’s democratic credentials.
On the Judiciary, the communiqué expressed worry about the poor state of some court buildings in the country, especially the lower courts and the perennial lack of resources necessary for an efficient judicial process.
“We wish to remind the government of its promise to separate the office of the Attorney General from the Minister of Justice to make the Attorney General independent of the strings of government,” it added.
Five suspected armed robbers nabbed
Page 46: Daily Graphic, September 3, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
FIVE suspected armed robbers believed to have embarked on a number of robbery operations in Accra between last year and this year have been arrested.
The suspects are Napoleon Gomez alias Napo, 37, Delali Alormatu alias Tilapia, 25, Eric Kwame Danso, 26 years, Abdul Razak Lartey, 20, and Nana Akuffo, 20.
Their arrest was a result of the reward system instituted by the Police Administration which many members of the public are taking advantage of to pass on information on suspected criminals to the police.
Briefing newsmen in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said Napo, a driver who had been on the wanted list of the police since February 1, 2008, was arrested on August 22, 2009 at the Takoradi Station at Kaneshie.
He said Napo and one of his robbery partners, Ebenezer Obese, a videographer, who was arrested on August 13, 2009, were allegedly linked to four robberies including the taking of a safe from a filling station at Taifa in which they had GH¢7,000.
He said in another operation, the two robbers also allegedly confessed to robbing a vehicle and its occupants at Abelenkpe near Santana Hotel in which they took away GH¢800, a laptop, four mobile phones and a flatscreen television set.
ACP Yohuno said at another time near the Awoshie Traffic Lights, the two and other squad members robbed the occupants of a vehicle of $200, GH¢1,400, a laptop and two mobile phones. They were also involved in a robbery at Bubuashie in which GH¢1,300, a mobile phone, and a laptop were stolen from the occupants of the vehicle.
He said in all the four street robberies, they used a taxi belonging to Napo, with registration number GR 2624 R, to always cross the way of their victims before robbing them.
According to him, both Napo and Obese identified other members of their squad as Sammy, Ayigbe, Sunday and Obuor, who are all on remand at the Nsawam Prisons, and Coffie, whom they claimed was now residing in South Africa.
He said a first attempt to arrest Obese, also known as Doctor alias Aware, proved futile as he bolted through the ceiling of his house at Weija.
With regard to Tilapia, ACP Yohuno said the suspect was arrested at about 2a.m. on September 1, this year at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
He said £140 was found in his pocket, which Tilapia claimed he picked from someone’s purse while struggling to board a Kasoa bound truck on August 31, 2009 at about 7:30p.m.
ACP Yohuno said prior to his arrest last Tuesday, Tilapia had jumped bail in another robbery case while he was also having a new docket in his name for prosecution.
He said Eric Kwame Danso was part of a gang that specialised in residential robberies.
He said after his arrest on September 1, 2009, Danso allegedly confessed to taking part in seven residential robberies at Nautical area in Nungua, Lashibi, Bubiashie and Dansoman in which various sums of money, laptops, mobile phones and a foreign pistol with eight rounds of ammunition were stolen.
According to ACP Yohuno, Danso mentioned other members of his gang as Nana Akuffo, alias “O” Nana @ Never Say Die and Abdul Razak Lartey, who was arrested four months ago.
He commended members of the public who were volunteering information to the public on suspected criminals.
He was also grateful to the government for the financial incentives to informants, which was helping to address the problem of crime in the country.
Story: Albert K. Salia
FIVE suspected armed robbers believed to have embarked on a number of robbery operations in Accra between last year and this year have been arrested.
The suspects are Napoleon Gomez alias Napo, 37, Delali Alormatu alias Tilapia, 25, Eric Kwame Danso, 26 years, Abdul Razak Lartey, 20, and Nana Akuffo, 20.
Their arrest was a result of the reward system instituted by the Police Administration which many members of the public are taking advantage of to pass on information on suspected criminals to the police.
Briefing newsmen in Accra yesterday, the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said Napo, a driver who had been on the wanted list of the police since February 1, 2008, was arrested on August 22, 2009 at the Takoradi Station at Kaneshie.
He said Napo and one of his robbery partners, Ebenezer Obese, a videographer, who was arrested on August 13, 2009, were allegedly linked to four robberies including the taking of a safe from a filling station at Taifa in which they had GH¢7,000.
He said in another operation, the two robbers also allegedly confessed to robbing a vehicle and its occupants at Abelenkpe near Santana Hotel in which they took away GH¢800, a laptop, four mobile phones and a flatscreen television set.
ACP Yohuno said at another time near the Awoshie Traffic Lights, the two and other squad members robbed the occupants of a vehicle of $200, GH¢1,400, a laptop and two mobile phones. They were also involved in a robbery at Bubuashie in which GH¢1,300, a mobile phone, and a laptop were stolen from the occupants of the vehicle.
He said in all the four street robberies, they used a taxi belonging to Napo, with registration number GR 2624 R, to always cross the way of their victims before robbing them.
According to him, both Napo and Obese identified other members of their squad as Sammy, Ayigbe, Sunday and Obuor, who are all on remand at the Nsawam Prisons, and Coffie, whom they claimed was now residing in South Africa.
He said a first attempt to arrest Obese, also known as Doctor alias Aware, proved futile as he bolted through the ceiling of his house at Weija.
With regard to Tilapia, ACP Yohuno said the suspect was arrested at about 2a.m. on September 1, this year at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
He said £140 was found in his pocket, which Tilapia claimed he picked from someone’s purse while struggling to board a Kasoa bound truck on August 31, 2009 at about 7:30p.m.
ACP Yohuno said prior to his arrest last Tuesday, Tilapia had jumped bail in another robbery case while he was also having a new docket in his name for prosecution.
He said Eric Kwame Danso was part of a gang that specialised in residential robberies.
He said after his arrest on September 1, 2009, Danso allegedly confessed to taking part in seven residential robberies at Nautical area in Nungua, Lashibi, Bubiashie and Dansoman in which various sums of money, laptops, mobile phones and a foreign pistol with eight rounds of ammunition were stolen.
According to ACP Yohuno, Danso mentioned other members of his gang as Nana Akuffo, alias “O” Nana @ Never Say Die and Abdul Razak Lartey, who was arrested four months ago.
He commended members of the public who were volunteering information to the public on suspected criminals.
He was also grateful to the government for the financial incentives to informants, which was helping to address the problem of crime in the country.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Call for national drug rehabilitation centre
Page 3: Daily Graphic, September 2, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Head of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Akwasi Osei, has called for the establishment of a national drug rehabilitation and treatment centre to manage drug-related ailments.
He said the alarming rate of drug abuse called for an urgent establishment of a drug centre to deal with the problem.
Officially, he said, the Accra Psychiatric Hospital was recording an average of three drug-related cases a day, while many more went unreported.
He said Ghanaians had also resorted to injecting drugs which meant that drug abuse was quite extensive and “again it means the drug issue is getting out of hand”.
Dr Osei told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the resort to drug injection meant that abusers had reached the maximum level of drug abuse.
“We did not know it existed in the country until some of our patients informed us about it,” he said.
He said crime associated with drug abuse, particularly drug injection, was high.
That, he explained, was because withdrawing from drug injection was painful and the user often had to commit crime to generate the cash to replace drugs.
Dr Osei said the government should not look at the cost of establishing the drug centre but should assess the benefits to be derived from it.
According to him, most drug abusers did not report to the psychiatric hospitals because they argued they were not mad.
He said some of the drug abusers found it stigmatising to visit the public psychiatric hospitals for assistance.
“That is why we need a national drug rehabilitation centre outside the public psychiatric hospitals,” he said.
Dr Osei said that would also mean building the human resource base of psychiatrists, occupational therapists and nurses, among others, to help deal with the management of drug abuse problems effectively.
Presently, he said, there were only five psychiatrists in active service when there should have been 30 in the ideal situation.
He said the government must outline incentive packages for people to be drawn into mental health practice, since the low incentives and risks associated with it did not encourage people to enter the profession.
Dr Osei, therefore, called on the government to ensure the passage of the Mental Health Bill to provide the framework to deal with mental health issues in the country.
He reminded the government and society at large that the drug menace could destroy the peace and stability prevailing in the country.
“It would become difficult to go out to certain places or at certain times of the day,” he added.
Dr Osei said research had shown in the United States of America (USA) that the government got back eight dollars on every dollar spent on drug treatment and rehabilitation.
“We should not fear spending money on drug issues because we will reap it back,” he said.
He said some drug abusers started as early as nine years old but said those who stayed in it for long died by the age of 45 or were either in prison or on sick beds.
“It is rare for any person to use drugs beyond the age of 45. Seventy per cent of users start in their teens and die before they reach 45 years,” he said.
As to which class of persons often abuse the drugs, Dr Osei said in the past, it used to be those in the high class but said that trend was changing in all segments of society.
That situation, he explained, was because cocaine and heroin were now being adulterated, which made it affordable for anyone to access it.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Head of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Akwasi Osei, has called for the establishment of a national drug rehabilitation and treatment centre to manage drug-related ailments.
He said the alarming rate of drug abuse called for an urgent establishment of a drug centre to deal with the problem.
Officially, he said, the Accra Psychiatric Hospital was recording an average of three drug-related cases a day, while many more went unreported.
He said Ghanaians had also resorted to injecting drugs which meant that drug abuse was quite extensive and “again it means the drug issue is getting out of hand”.
Dr Osei told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the resort to drug injection meant that abusers had reached the maximum level of drug abuse.
“We did not know it existed in the country until some of our patients informed us about it,” he said.
He said crime associated with drug abuse, particularly drug injection, was high.
That, he explained, was because withdrawing from drug injection was painful and the user often had to commit crime to generate the cash to replace drugs.
Dr Osei said the government should not look at the cost of establishing the drug centre but should assess the benefits to be derived from it.
According to him, most drug abusers did not report to the psychiatric hospitals because they argued they were not mad.
He said some of the drug abusers found it stigmatising to visit the public psychiatric hospitals for assistance.
“That is why we need a national drug rehabilitation centre outside the public psychiatric hospitals,” he said.
Dr Osei said that would also mean building the human resource base of psychiatrists, occupational therapists and nurses, among others, to help deal with the management of drug abuse problems effectively.
Presently, he said, there were only five psychiatrists in active service when there should have been 30 in the ideal situation.
He said the government must outline incentive packages for people to be drawn into mental health practice, since the low incentives and risks associated with it did not encourage people to enter the profession.
Dr Osei, therefore, called on the government to ensure the passage of the Mental Health Bill to provide the framework to deal with mental health issues in the country.
He reminded the government and society at large that the drug menace could destroy the peace and stability prevailing in the country.
“It would become difficult to go out to certain places or at certain times of the day,” he added.
Dr Osei said research had shown in the United States of America (USA) that the government got back eight dollars on every dollar spent on drug treatment and rehabilitation.
“We should not fear spending money on drug issues because we will reap it back,” he said.
He said some drug abusers started as early as nine years old but said those who stayed in it for long died by the age of 45 or were either in prison or on sick beds.
“It is rare for any person to use drugs beyond the age of 45. Seventy per cent of users start in their teens and die before they reach 45 years,” he said.
As to which class of persons often abuse the drugs, Dr Osei said in the past, it used to be those in the high class but said that trend was changing in all segments of society.
That situation, he explained, was because cocaine and heroin were now being adulterated, which made it affordable for anyone to access it.
Police foil two robbery attempts
Page 34: Daily Graphic, September 2, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Accra Regional Police have foiled two robbery attempts at the Industrial Area offices of Ashfoam Ghana Limited and a supermarket at Amasaman.
Four suspected robbers were arrested while in the process of mobilising to attack their targets.
Two suspected robbers, Nana Kodua Nkrumah, alias Crownzy, 19, and Agyei Quao, alias Wadada, 44, were arrested last Saturday at Achimota while mobilising ammunition to feed two pistols to attack Ashfoam.
The suspects had planned to attack Ashfoam at dawn on, Monday, August 31, but police intelligence led to their arrest last Saturday while two accomplices escaped.
The other two, Stephen Agyepong, 28, and Benjamin Odugo, alias Mayor, were arrested at Sowutuom while preparing to go to Amasaman to attack a supermarket.
Two pistols and a dagger were found on them.
Briefing newsmen in Accra on Monday, the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, ACP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said Nkrumah allegedly contacted an ex-convict, identified only as Amara, 22, who was released from prison a month ago, to join a gang to rob the company.
He said someone close to Amara overhead Amara saying that he had just been released and did not want to be involved in any robbery case again.
ACP Yohuno said from the discussion, Amara was informed that the robbery was going to be swift so that by 6am, they would have parted company with each of them taking away their booty.
He said the police had information that Nkrumah had given pistols to Wadada for safekeeping, while they looked for ammunition to buy for the robbery expedition.
He said last Saturday, Nkrumah went to the residence of Wadada for a discussion, where he met two others, whom he claimed he did not know.
According to ACP Yohuno, unknown to the gang, the police were trailing them and just when Nkrumah and the two others were going away from the residence of Wadada, the police swooped on them, resulting in the arrest of Nkrumah and Wadada.
He said although Nkrumah had denied knowledge of the pistols, he allegedly admitted sending the red bag in which the pistols were found to Wadada.
He said Nkrumah told the police that he was a friend to Wadada’s wife and claimed that Wadada had invited him to the house to meet his (Wadada’s) wife.
In respect of the foiled Amasaman robbery, ACP Yohuno said a night patrol team saw Mayor at about 2a.m. last Thursday at Sowutuom running away from what they did not know.
He said when the patrol team pursued and arrested him, he was found to be possession of a locally-made pistol with five rounds of ammunition.
ACP Yohuno said upon interrogation, Mayor mentioned Agyepong as an accomplice in a planned robbery expedition at Amasaman.
He said Mayor led the patrol team to arrest Agyepong from his hide-out.
The Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga, said the police had mapped out an effective strategy to arrest the suspects before they attacked their targets.
“We are being proactive and doing intelligence-led operations,” she added.
She called on members of the public to support the police with information about the hide-outs of suspected criminals and their operations to enable the police to smoke them out.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Accra Regional Police have foiled two robbery attempts at the Industrial Area offices of Ashfoam Ghana Limited and a supermarket at Amasaman.
Four suspected robbers were arrested while in the process of mobilising to attack their targets.
Two suspected robbers, Nana Kodua Nkrumah, alias Crownzy, 19, and Agyei Quao, alias Wadada, 44, were arrested last Saturday at Achimota while mobilising ammunition to feed two pistols to attack Ashfoam.
The suspects had planned to attack Ashfoam at dawn on, Monday, August 31, but police intelligence led to their arrest last Saturday while two accomplices escaped.
The other two, Stephen Agyepong, 28, and Benjamin Odugo, alias Mayor, were arrested at Sowutuom while preparing to go to Amasaman to attack a supermarket.
Two pistols and a dagger were found on them.
Briefing newsmen in Accra on Monday, the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, ACP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said Nkrumah allegedly contacted an ex-convict, identified only as Amara, 22, who was released from prison a month ago, to join a gang to rob the company.
He said someone close to Amara overhead Amara saying that he had just been released and did not want to be involved in any robbery case again.
ACP Yohuno said from the discussion, Amara was informed that the robbery was going to be swift so that by 6am, they would have parted company with each of them taking away their booty.
He said the police had information that Nkrumah had given pistols to Wadada for safekeeping, while they looked for ammunition to buy for the robbery expedition.
He said last Saturday, Nkrumah went to the residence of Wadada for a discussion, where he met two others, whom he claimed he did not know.
According to ACP Yohuno, unknown to the gang, the police were trailing them and just when Nkrumah and the two others were going away from the residence of Wadada, the police swooped on them, resulting in the arrest of Nkrumah and Wadada.
He said although Nkrumah had denied knowledge of the pistols, he allegedly admitted sending the red bag in which the pistols were found to Wadada.
He said Nkrumah told the police that he was a friend to Wadada’s wife and claimed that Wadada had invited him to the house to meet his (Wadada’s) wife.
In respect of the foiled Amasaman robbery, ACP Yohuno said a night patrol team saw Mayor at about 2a.m. last Thursday at Sowutuom running away from what they did not know.
He said when the patrol team pursued and arrested him, he was found to be possession of a locally-made pistol with five rounds of ammunition.
ACP Yohuno said upon interrogation, Mayor mentioned Agyepong as an accomplice in a planned robbery expedition at Amasaman.
He said Mayor led the patrol team to arrest Agyepong from his hide-out.
The Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga, said the police had mapped out an effective strategy to arrest the suspects before they attacked their targets.
“We are being proactive and doing intelligence-led operations,” she added.
She called on members of the public to support the police with information about the hide-outs of suspected criminals and their operations to enable the police to smoke them out.
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