Friday, May 16, 2008

ARMED ROBBER DIED IN A SHOOT-OUT (Page 14)

16/05/2008Story: Mary Mensah
A 27-YEAR-OLD suspected armed robber died in a shoot-out with the police at Awoshie during the early hours of Wednesday.
The deceased, identified as Kojo Owusu Tawiah, was hit in the back as he tried to escape and died intantly.
Kojo was said to be driving a taxi cab, with registration number GR 9417 W.
His accomplice, who is yet to be identified, however, managed to escape and the police have mounted an intensive search for his arrest.
According to the Accra Regional Crime Officer, ACP Boi-Bi-Boi, about 11.00 p.m. on May 13, 2008, the complainant, Linda Mereku, a hairdresser, boarded a taxi being driven by the deceased from Nyamekye Junction to Awoshie.
He said on reaching the Odorgonno Senior High School area, the deceased stopped the taxi under the pretext of urinating and entered a small bush near the school gate.
ACP Boi-Bi-Boi said while Linda was waiting patiently for the driver’s return, a young man emerged from the opposite direction. He was armed with a locally-manufactured pistol and he was joined by the deceased, who also wielded a knife.
They ordered Linda to hand over everything in her possession or she would be shot.
He said the two robbed her of a Nokia phone and a purse containing GH¢30, after which they ordered her out of the taxi and sped off.
Soon afterwards, another taxi, with registration number GR 1762 Q, driven by one David Addae appeared on the scene so Linda signalled him to stop and narrated her ordeal to him.
The taxi driver picked her and they chased the robbers towards the Kwashieman Overhead Bridge. On the way, they spotted a patrol team, which was also made pursued the robbers.
When the two robbers realised that the patrol team was hot on their tail, they abandoned the taxi and took to their heels, firing as they did so in order to escape, but the police returned the fire and one of the robbers fell down in the process. However, the one firing the shots managed to escape.
ACP Boi-Bi-Boi said when the taxi was searched, Linda’s purse, a knife, a screw driver and the mobile phone were found, adding that the body of the deceased robber had since been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary awaiting autopsy.

Monday, May 12, 2008

7 NABBED FOR "419" ACTIVITIES (Page 44)

12/05/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
THE Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has smashed a group engaged in activities popularly referred to as 419 and suspected to have duped some businessmen of large amounts of monies.
Seven members of the group, including a woman, were arrested at their hideout at Tetegu near Weija on Monday following a tip-off.
Large quantities of Wakanga and Gingo seeds said to be used in the cure of cancer and fake gold dust were found in their room during a search.
Two saloon cars — a Nissan Altima and a VW Vento — which they allegedly used for their operations were also retrieved from their house.
They are Richard Adams, 32, a trader and leader of the group; Emmanuel Allotey, 35, a taxi driver; Jeremiah Owusu, 25, a driver; Kwaku Dua, 28, unemployed; Kobby Banson, 38, a trader; Peter Andoh, 25, and Esther Ofori, 26, a hairdresser.
The Commander of the Commercial Crime Unit of the CID, Superintendent Maame Yaa Tiwaa, said the police had declared war on such operatives in the country.
She said over 50 such cases, involving the sale of Wakanga seed, Shark Oil, Gingo Seed, Moringa seed and fake gold dust among others to defraud people — have been recorded from the beginning of the year to date.
The Commander said last year alone, 20 cases were recorded and victims lost monies ranging between $5,000 and GH¢150,000.
The Commander said a trader from New Tafo in Kumasi, called Muniru Mohammmed, reported to the unit that some people had duped him of GH¢3,400.
She said according to the complainant he had a call from someone who said he was calling from the United Kingdom and that he had a business deal for him.
The caller told him there was a seed in Ghana called Wakanga used in curing all types of cancer and that it was in high demand in the UK.
Supt Tiwaa said the caller informed the complainant that he had met a white man in the UK who was planning to come down to Ghana to buy the seeds at $500 per sachet.
She further said the caller said he knew a man in Takoradi who sold some for $300 per sachet.
Convinced that he would make a profit of $200 on each sachet, Muniru called the white man who said he would be arriving in Ghana in a week’s time to buy large quantities of the seed.
Supt Tiwaa said Muniru also called the supplier in Takoradi who promised to supply the seed.
On arrival, she said, the white man called and demanded a sample so Muniru called the Takoradi man who met him and sold one sachet of the seed to be shown to the white man.
Supt Tiwaa said the white man requested for 24 sachets so Muniru bought the quantity from the supplier but when he took them to the white man, he was nowhere to be found and his mobile phone also switched off.
The supplier could not also be reached so Muniru made a report to the police, Supt Tiwaa said, adding that while at the police station Muniru had a call from the taxi driver, who offered to show him the house of the supplier for a fee of GH¢200.
The police advised Muniru to agree to the proposals and accompanied him to the venue, where the taxi driver was arrested and made to take the police to the hideout of the criminals.
The Commander said on Monday at about 11 p.m., Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ebenezer Nketiah, who is in charge of operations at the unit, led a team of policemen to a house at Tetegu where the seven suspects were arrested.
She said the complainant identified one of the suspects as the one who supplied him with the seeds.
Upon interrogation the suspects admitted to the offence and pleaded with the police to give them sometime to pay back the money they took from the complainant.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

TWO SECURITY MEN NABBEDFOR CAR THEFT (Page 54)

08/05/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
Two security operatives who allegedly stole a saloon car from its owner at Abeka and later sold it have been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
The two, Corporal Noble Amedahe, 39, of the 48 Engineers Regiment and Constable Edward Addo Appau, 31, of the Accra Regional Police Command, were arrested at the Trade Fair Centre in La following a tip-off.
According to the Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, in February this year, Rashid Bello, a taxi driver, reported that his Opel Astra saloon car had been stolen by members of a patrol team.
He said Rashid told the police that the car, which was at the time bearing an unregistered number plate, was taken by the security men who were on night patrol duties at Abeka.
According to him, Rashid was driving the car in the company of a friend at Abeka, where they attended a wake. Then they were signalled by members of a security team in a patrol car to stop.
He said some of the patrol men pointed their guns at Rashid and his friend and shouted at them to come closer, but for fear that they would be shot, Rashid and his friend bolted, leaving the car behind.
DSP Ofori said one of the patrol men drove off the car, so the following morning Rashid and his friend reported the incident to the Tesano Police and subsequently to the Police Headquarters.
The Public Affairs Director said when all efforts to trace the vehicle failed, Rashid informed his colleague drivers to be on the look out for it.
Three months later, he said, Rashid was informed that the vehicle had been seen in Tema but with a new registration number. However, when he got to the location described to him, the car had been moved from there.
DSP Ofori said a week later the vehicle was seen again by a friend of Rashid’s parked at the Osu Cemetery and he challenged the driver over its ownership.
He said the man who was driving the vehicle gave the contact of two men who had sold the car to him.
Rashid, DSP Ofori said, called the sellers, who happened to be two of the members of the patrol team they had met three months before at Abeka, and told them that the vehicle belonged to him and pleaded with them to return it to him.
He said the two agreed to return the vehicle and demanded GH¢2,000, so Rashid agreed to meet them at the Trade Fair Centre at an appointed time to make the payment.
DSP Ofori said Rashid then reported to the police, who accompanied him for the appointment, during which the two security operatives were arrested.
The soldier has been handed over to the Military Police for further investigations, while the policeman is being kept at the Police Headquarters to assist in investigations.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

POLICE TO GET MODERN NARCOTICS EXHIBITS STORE (Spread Lead)

06/05/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
The United States Embassy in Ghana has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Police Service for the construction of a $500,000 modern narcotic exhibits store at the Police Headquarters to assist the police to keep proper records of all exhibits.
The one-storey block, which will be situated behind the CID Headquarters in Accra, is expected to house the narcotic exhibit store, an armoury, a computer centre and offices.
The Deputy Head of the US Mission in Ghana, Ms Sue Brown, signed for the US Embassy, while the Director-General in Charge of Services, Commissioner of Police (COP) Yaw Adu Gyimah, signed for the Ghana Police Service.
In an address, Ms Brown said the MoU would further strengthen the already significant law enforcement co-operation between the US government and Ghana, which would help build Ghana’s capacity to combat criminal activities, including the growing problem of narcotics trafficking.
She said the project, a joint effort among the US Africa Command, the US Mission in Accra and the Ghana Police Service, would also offer training to police personnel who would manage the store.
The Deputy Ambassador said a capable and professional law enforcement service was critical to maintaining a stable democracy that was free from criminal elements and to support a government that could respond to and serve the legitimate aspirations of the people of Ghana.
”Criminal activity in this globalised world has increasingly taken on an international face. 419 scams, human and narcotic trafficking are just three examples of crimes that cross borders,” the Deputy Ambassador said.
Ms Brown indicated that without active, meaningful and sincere co-operation between stakeholders and developing countries, “we are seriously hampered in apprehending criminals and bringing them to justice”.
She said in that respect, Ghana had been a good partner with the US, but added that if transnational crimes were to be combated effectively, there was the need for Ghana to do more, adding that that required complete commitment at all levels of government, from the policeman on the street to the political leadership.
She was confident that the construction of the evidence storage facility would assist the police to prepare cases which were more likely to lead to convictions.
COP Adu Gyimah expressed the administration’s appreciation to the US Embassy for the quick response to its request for help.
He said since 2005, it had been the intention of the Police Administration to get a fortified exhibit store where security arrangement would make all manner of exhibits safe.
He said the Police Service attempted to construct the facility but the project grounded to a halt as a result of the lack of funds, prompting the IGP to approach the US Embassy for assistance.
COP Adu Gyimah said the Embassy agreed in principle to finance the construction of the whole project and offer training to those who would man the store.
As a result, the director-general said, the old structure would be demolished. He assured the Embassy that the police would take good care of the project when completed.

FIVE COPS INTERDICTED -FOR ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN 2 ROBBERY CASES (Front Page 1B)

05/05/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
FIVE policemen have been interdicted on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, for their involvement in two robbery incidents.
Three of the policemen intercepted a fuel tanker loaded with 32,500 litres of gas oil and sold its content, after which they abandoned the tanker.
The other two also arrested a traveller at the Kotoka International Airport under the pretext that he was suspected of carrying drugs and drove him in a State Protocol saloon car to the bushes behind the Legon Police Station where they robbed him of 12,500 euros and some dollars.
After that, the policemen took their victim to a hotel at Osu RE and gave him medicine which they said would help him to expel the supposed drugs he had swallowed for them.
The three policemen who intercepted the fuel tanker are General Constable Bruce Amanyadi and General Constable Dennis Quartey, both of the Dansoman Police, and General Constable Reynolds Asante Kwarteng of the Organised Crime Unit.
The two who arrested the traveller at the airport are General Constable Joseph Bowers of the Highway Patrol Unit and General Lance Corporal Richard Dotsey Gablah of the Legon Police.
Another police accomplice, General Lance Corporal Bawa Hector, also of the Dansoman Police, is, however, on the run and an intensive search has been mounted for his arrest.
Five civilians have also been arrested in connection with the sale of the fuel. They are Alhaji Mohammed Maigah, Mohammed Yussif, Karim Awudu, Hajia Memuna and Alhaji Issaka Saeed.
According to the Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, on April 18, 2008, Joseph Abandoh, the driver of a fuel tanker, accompanied by his mate, Emmanuel Crentsil, reported to the Tesano Police that at 9.00 p.m. on April 17, 2008, while carrying a full load of gas oil from the Tema Oil Refinery to Akim-Oda in the Eastern Region, he was intercepted by three policemen on reaching the Darkuman-Nyamekye Junction.
Abandoh said two of the policemen were armed with AK 47 assault rifles and they demanded his waybills, adding that after he had handed them over to them, they seized his ignition keys and asked him and his mate to enter a taxi to be taken to the police station.
DSP Ofori said two of the policemen accompanied the driver and his mate, while one was left behind to guard the tanker.
However, he said, after driving round for a while, Abandoh and Crentsil were released, but when they returned to the Nyamekye Junction, they could neither trace the tanker nor the policeman.
He said on April 20, 2008, based upon information, Alhaji Maigah and Hajia Memuna were arrested for investigation and they admitted having received a quantity of gas oil from Bruce Amanyadi, a policeman, and four other civilians.
He said investigations led to the arrest of the two policemen and their civilian accomplices on April 24, 2008 and that during interrogation, they admitted having conspired to seize the Benz fuel tanker from the driver but denied knowledge of the sale of the fuel.
The director said Amanyadi, who had been left behind, together with the fuel tanker, was later joined by Mohammed Yussif, Karim Awudu, Halidu, Yakubu and Karim, who are all at large, and they drove the fuel tanker to the Star Oil Company filling station at a place called Israel. The station belonged to Alhaji Maigah, to whom 20,600 litres were sold.
Afterwards, they sold the remaining 11,900 litres to one George Asante of Allied Oil Company Filling Station at the Roman Junction near Sowutuom and abandoned the empty tanker at Ofankor, near the old police barrier.
Touching on the other incident, DSP Ofori said the three policemen arrested a spare parts dealer, Isaac Opoku Akrasi, at the Kotoka Airport on April 24, 2008 while he was going through departure formalities.
He said they drove Akrasi in a State Protocol Chrysler saloon car to a spot behind the Legon Police Station where they robbed him of 12,500 euros and some dollars.
He said after that, the driver of the vehicle left, together with Constable Kwarteng, who returned shortly in a VW saloon car. He had three cans of fresh milk and gave them to the victim to drink in order to expel the suspected drugs he had swallowed.
He said they later drove Akrasi to a guest house at Madina but they were denied accommodation so they drove to a hotel at Osu RE, near Papaye, where they booked a room.
The director said Akrasi, realising that there were many people in the area, had raised an alarm that the three policemen were trying to kidnap him.
That attracted many people who confronted the policemen, prompting them to bolt on foot, but the crowd deflated the tyres of their VW saloon car.
DSP Ofori said one of the policemen reported to the Cantonments Police that they had been attacked by a crowd, while the victim also went to the Osu Police Station to lodge a complaint, which led to the arrest of the policemen.

FDB WARNS AGAINST FAKE SANITARY PADS (PAGE 28)

05/05/08
Story: Mary Mensah
THE Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has warned members of the public not to patronise three unregistered sanitary pads and some imitated drugs that have been circulating on the Ghanaian market.
The unregistered sanitary pads were listed as All One, Smart Lady and All Easy while the drugs were named as Theeter, Accurate, a medical device for pregnancy test, and Medical, a toothpaste.
The acting Deputy Chief Executive of the FDB, Reverend Jonathan Martey, who addressed the press in Accra at the weekend, said these products, which had not been registered with the board, bore some semblance to registered brands.
He said the three sanitary pads bore the same semblance to a registered brand on the market by name Forever Easy, whose outer package is pinkish in colour like the three imitated ones.
Rev Martey said with the drugs, Theeter, manufactured by Gracila Chemists in Kumasi, bore semblance to Theeder syrup, which is manufactured by Aryton pharmaceuticals, who had registered with the FDB and had their logo on its products.
“Though the Accurate and Medical toothpaste have been certified by the board it has been imitated with the same package but without the FDB logo on it thus making it very difficult for the public to determine the correct one,” he said.
He, therefore, advised members of the public to ensure that they checked dates of manufacture of the products, their country of origin, the FDB logo, as well as expiry dates and if in doubt contact the FDB for further clarification before purchasing the products.
He explained that before any product was authorised to be placed on the market, the said product was taken through tests to ensure its safety, quality and efficacy for the protection of public health.
Rev. Martey, however, said that the board could not guarantee the quality and safety of the named sanitary pads, since they had not been registered by the board.
He warned importers to desist from imitation of registered products because it was a criminal offence, and added that the police in conjunction with the board was doing all in its power to bring the perpetrators to book.
He also urged the public to report to the board or the police anyone found to be distributing or retailing these imitated products.
He indicated that plans were far advanced to publish the list of all registered products to enable the public to be well informed when they purchased any product.

*CAPTION* Reverend Jonathan Martey (middle) flanked by Mr Agyemang Duah, Head of Drug Inspectorate (left) and Mr James Lartey, Head of Communications (right) as he addresses the press.
PICTURE: On Odartey’s Desktop.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

65 YEAR OLD WEE PEDLER NABBED (PAGE 31)

29/04/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
A 65-year-old man has been arrested by the Highway Patrol Team of the Ghana Police Service for possessing 14 large parcels of substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
The suspect, Nathaniel Adjetey Okine, was arrested on the Asesewa-Odumasi highway when he emerged from the bush carrying a huge bag loaded with the 14 parcels to board an Accra-bound vehicle.
According to the Public Relations Officer(PRO) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Inspector Joseph Darkwa, on April 27, 2008 while on their usual patrol duties along the Asesewa highway, the team spotted a bus with some passengers on board.
He said the vehicle had stopped by the side of the road to pick more passengers and Okine emerged from the bush carrying a big bag popularly referred to as “Ghana Must Go” and a black plastic bag.
He said the suspect rushed to board the vehicle with the two bags.
Inspector Darkwa said when the policemen questioned Okine about the contents of the bags, he dropped them and tried to escape into the bush, but he was pursued and arrested.
When the two bags were searched, 14 parcels of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp were found.
The PRO said Okine was brought to the CID headquarters and handed over to the Organised Crime Unit for further investigations.
Upon interrogation, Okine admitted ownership of the leaves and said he bought them from a certain woman at a village near Odumasi, to be sold in Accra.
He said the police had intensified investigations to arrest the woman. Meanwhile the 14 parcels have been forwarded to the forensic laboratory for analysis.
Okine has been arraigned before the Regional Tribunal in Accra and remanded in custody to reappear on May 22, 2008.

$500,000 FOR TANO BASIN MANAGEMENT PROJECT (Back Page Lead)

30/04/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
A $500,000 Transboundary Community Water Management project located within the Tano River basin between Ghana and Cote d’ Ivoire has been launched.
The project, jointly funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Coca-Cola company, aims at supporting the sustainable use and management of the Tano River basin and enhancing relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The Deputy Head of the US mission in Ghana, Ms Sue Brown, signed for her government while the CEO of Coca-Cola, Mr Neville Isdell, signed for his company after which the documents were handed over to the Minister of Water resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji Abubakar Sadique Boniface.
In an address, Ms Brown said the project fell under the umbrella of a $14-million plus public-private partnership that is improving water resource management and expanding access to improved drinking water and sanitation services for poor and marginalised people in 17 developing countries.
She said the Tano River basin initiative would bring considerable benefits to local inhabitants in the area of water management, water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion.
Ms Brown said the project was initiated in November, 2007 and had already made important advances on both sides of the border, including the completion of community water action plans, formation and training of water/sanitation committees and the establishment of community nurseries.
The Deputy Ambassador said as a result of the alliance between the USAID and Coca Cola about 20,000 people would benefit from improved water supply, 8,000 children would be able to make use of healthy sanitary facilities and 1,000 hectares would be rehabilitated.
She said the US government strongly supported public-private alliance as a strategic approach to meeting development objectives and was open to partnering with other private sector entities that had decided to support development efforts in Ghana and other developing countries.
Mr Neville Isdell for his part said this project was an excellent example of public-private partnership between the US government and a major multinational corporation.
He said by this alliance Coca Cola hoped to make a meaningful change in the society they represented and added that the company believed that was a human right.
“We at Coca-Cola also believe that our business will not prosper if the local community does not prosper,” he said.
Alhaji Boniface said Ghana as a nation viewed improved water management as a key factor for the successful achievement of the country’s growth.
He said the Water Resource Commission had adopted an integrated approach to water resource management that ensured co-ordinated development and management of water and related resources.

ACCESS TO JUSTICE SERIES BOOKS LAUNCHED (Center Spread)

01/05/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
A set of books, “Access to Justice Series”, was launched in Accra yesterday.
The idea of the series, 10 in all, was initiated in 2001 to review and reform certain laws in the country in order to ensure justice for all.
The project was sponsored by the German government through the German Technical Agency (GTZ).
The issues addressed in the books focus on Peri-Urbanisation, Land Relations and Women in Ghana, State Land Management Regime — Impact on Land Rights of Women and the Poor in Ghana, Polygyny and Plural Monogamous Marriages in Ghana, Child Maintenance in Plural Legal Systems in Ghana and Property Rights of Women in Ghana, among others.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NPP Presidential candidate, under whose tenure as Attorney-General the project was initiated, said reform legislation in Ghana had often been prolific, but had in fact led to little change for the ordinary non-urban and poor citizen.
He said the Legal Pluralism Policy Forum was initiated in 2001 to discuss various issues including how to shape the Ghanaian Legal sector for the 21st century, better quality of legislation and affordable access to justice.
He cited for example that research had indicated that PNDC Law 111, the interstate succession law that was intended to bring real change to women’s ability to participate in their husbands estate, had not achieved the desired impact.
He congratulated the National House of Chiefs and the Law Reform Commission on jointly tackling the seemingly daunting task of harmonising, modernising and eventually codifying the customary law, and making it more certain and transparent, beffiting a democratic and open society.
For his part, the German Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Marius Haas, said at the fourth United Nations World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, the German government committed itself to promote women in development by providing legal advisory services and social policy measures.
He said in line with this commitment, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development in conjunction with GTZ as implementing agency, initiated a pilot project — “Legal Advisory Services for Women — at the interface between formal law and other legal systems in West Africa.
Dr Haas said the main focus of the pilot project was to explore the different ways in which legal and executive instrument created for the improvement of living conditions for women and the poor could have the desired impact.
He said the West African Regional Conference of 2004, which was captured in Volume nine of the series, constituted another important step in sharing experiences with 15 other African countries on the issues of legal pluralism.
The Ambassador indicated that the German government was ready to support the government of Ghana and in particular the Attorney-General in the quest to provide justice for all through various law reforms such as that Property of Spouses legal reform.
The series were launched by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey.