The money, according to the Tema Regional Police Command, was meant for salaries of workers and other factory expenses of the company in which Ahmed Safiadeen (deceased)was a cashier.

Mr. Safiadeen, aged 54, was attacked by four armed men after a bank transaction around the Heavy Industrial area in Tema.

The robbers, according to the Police, fired several gunshots into his vehicle , robbed him of the money he had withdrawn, and sped off in a four wheel drive.

According to Citi News’ Elvis Washington, three years ago, a similar incident happened within the area, after a young man who had cashed money from the Zenith Bank branch in the area, was shot dead on a motorbike.

The Police have since stated that they are on a manhunt for the suspects involved. This incident adds to the growing number of robbery incidents in recent times.

On Tuesday, there were two robbery attacks in the North Kaneshie area which left some persons injured.

There have also been a number of robbery attacks in some parts of Accra. The Police Service has however assured that they will put their lives on the line for Ghanaians.

The Director of Operations at the Ghana Police Service, DCOP George Akufo Dampare, gave this assurance on the Citi Breakfast Show. 

Below is a Police statement on Wednesday’s incident

The Tema Regional Police Command is on a manhunt for four armed men who shot a Lebanese and robbed him of some monies.

The incident happened today, 28 February, 2018 at about 10.00am, when the victim known as Ahmed Safiadeen, aged 54, who is a cashier of Delta Agro Company, went to withdraw an amount of GHC 200,000.00 which was meant for salaries of workers and other factory expenses of the company, from a Bank at the Heavy Industrial Area, Tema.

Police got information of the incident and moved to the crime scene. Investigations so far revealed that, the victim after the bank transaction was on his way to the office in his Toyota Corolla Saloon car with registration number GN 1174-12, when he was suddenly accosted by four armed men a few meters from his work.

The robbers fired several gunshots into his vehicle and robbed him off the money he had withdrawn and sped off in a four-wheel drive.

Victim was immediately rushed to the Rapheal Hospital in Tema but was pronounced dead on arrival. The body has since been conveyed to the 37 Military Hospital for preservation and autopsy.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Dampare also noted that the support of the citizens will go a long way to help the Police Service combat the increasing rate of crime in the country.

[contextly_sidebar id=”EHot4TlRGOx7Y2llpelxuAMl4eoXMs19″]This comment comes on the back of a series of robbery incidents across the country since the beginning of the year.

“We want to give them [citizens] the assurance that we will go every length, including losing our lives to make them safe. We understand that we are not there yet, in terms of the full complement of our equipment. We also understand that over the years, government after government has made an attempt to bring us to a particular level in terms of equipment,” he said.

COP Dampare also commended the government for its commitment to supporting the police by allocating 800 million Ghana cedis to the Service, to assist their operations.

“For the first time, this government is putting across 800 million Ghana cedis to retool the police service, so in term of logistics, I think progressively we are getting there,” he said.

He also noted that the Police Service will however not use the fact that they are underresourced as an excuse not to fight crime in the country.

“We don’t want to be out there and play the victim, that we don’t have this, we don’t have that, and because of that, we cannot work. We are [committed to] defending this country and the minimum resources that we have now, we want to assure the country that we will continue to make good use of them,” he said.

Robbers on rampage

This week has seen a number of robbery incidents in the Accra, one on a  Forex Bureaux at Spintex and two daylight robbery by suspected robbers in the North Kaneshie area.

Two persons are reported to have sustained gunshot wounds from suspected robbers who appeared to be fleeing a crime scene.

Gunfire was first heard in the area around a Latex Foam showroom at North Kaneshie where the robbers had crashed their vehicle.

Also on Tuesday morning, armed men stormed Royal Motors, an automobile company in Accra, making away with the company’s sales.

Eyewitnesses reported that the robbers trailed a bullion van that had entered the Industrial Area premises of the company to collect the company’s sales made the previous day.

Two persons have since been arrested in connection with the incident.

Recent arrests

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Appeatu, had earlier announced that the police arrested a group of suspected robbers believed to be behind attacks on about 20 forex bureaux in the Spintex road area in just 2018.

The attacks on these Forex Bureaux were growing number of robberies and high-profile criminal activity in the region.

Mobile money transfer spots have also been targeted by robbers in recent times.

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We’re ready to die for Ghanaians despite lack of resources – Police appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Speaking at the launch, the Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu, recognized the need for the Service to consciously engage active internet users who constitute about 35% of the population to help fight crime effectively.

[contextly_sidebar id=”imjesoFYmQopb1nTLgz9zsKeJmM3Mssf”]“With an estimate of almost 10 million internet users in Ghana, that is about 35% of our population, and about 4 million Facebook subscribers and much more on social media messaging channels, the police service recognizes the need to tap into such potential as a significant medium to reaching out to the public,” he said.

This engagement of the public is to intensify how the general public can easily help with timely information to help apprehend suspected criminals on the loose.

“In addition, the use of an organisational website to educate and update the public, solicit information or alert people to situations such as missing and wanted persons cannot be underestimated in this contemporary policing,”the Inspector General said.

The launching of the official police website and social media handles, seeks to upgrade their engagement with Ghanaian citizens to ensure effective policing.

The police service’s official website is www.police.gov.gh.com and @ghpoliceservice for social handles such as Twitter and Instagram, whiles for Facebook, the account name is Ghana Police Service.

The Ghana Police Service is striving to actualize its vision of becoming a world-class police service, David Asante-Apeatu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) said.

He said the Service aims at delivering planned, democratic, protective and peaceful services up to the standards of international best practices.

Asante-Apeatu said this at the end of a two-week police pre-deployment training programme in Accra.

It was organised by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), and supported by the German Foreign Ministry.

It was targeted at enhancing the capacity of the Ghana Police Service to deliver effectively at both operational and tactical levels, and operating procedures of police managed tasks in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO).

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonlione.com/Ghana

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According to the Minister, the country’s current police force consists of 23, 000 officers with a ratio of one to 848, which he added, was well below the United Nations’ minimum ratio of one police officer being responsible for every 5oo citizens.

[contextly_sidebar id=”FLZQbMwSq07ZjRSMHAIuBMcnWR7k4vCo”]He also stated that the police required a total number of 56, 000 officers to cover the entire current population.

“The Ghana Police Service at the time they took office, suffered a personnel deficit. We have a little over 23, 000 personnel. We, therefore, suffer a deficit of 23, 000 and accordingly we do not make the mark of the UN minimum police to population ratio of one to five hundred. In fact, the ratio in Ghana is one to eight hundred and forty-eight,” Ambrose Dery said.

He, however, added that the President was working towards addressing the current deficit while also offsetting the police service’s current challenges to ensure that their security efforts in the meantime aren’t affected greatly.

“The President is taking steps to make sure that this deficit, first is addressed and also to ameliorate the impact of the deficit on the operations and effectiveness on the Ghana Police Service,” he said.

Security challenges

Over the years there have been several complaints from residents in certain parts of the country over the lack of police visibility, leading to increased criminal activities in those areas.

Some communities have even had to build their own police posts and pay to have officers provide some level of security.

There have also been concerns raised about the responsiveness of the police to emergency situations, with inadequate personnel and resources often attributed to delayed police reaction.

Over 14, 000 deployed for X’mas

However, the Police have assured Ghanaians of increased surveillance this festive season with the deployment of 14, 200 police officers across the country to enforce law and order.

Director General of Operations, COP Dr. George Dampare at a media briefing, said some 18,000 officers will continue to perform traditional policing duties to ensure an incident-free festive season.

“We are deploying over 14,200 personnel across the country directly, and specifically for the Christmas and New Year operational duties. At the National operational level, we are putting across 1,200 from the National Operational department, the Counter-terrorism unit, the SWAT unit, RDF, FPU, special protection unit and another specialized unit of the service to go across the country and support all the regional commands and ensure that we bring sanity to our communities,” he said.

The police are also engaging in a number of other proactive measures ahead of the festive season:

• Traffic management policing – Beyond the MTTD personnel on the roads, there are operational police personnel in major points of all the major cities nationwide to ensure the regular flow of vehicular and human traffic.
• Escalating highway patrols – The police are ensuring highway patrols to protect commuters between rural and urban areas travel safely.
• Policing of commercial and entertainment centres – Ensuring uniformed and undercover police presence in major leisure spots to prevent crime.
• Residential area policing – Strengthening policing both in the day and night time within residential areas.
• Anti-land guard policing – Ensuring landowners have their peace of mind.
• Vital installation policing – Policing utilities to ensure activities of citizens are not disrupted.
• Criminal hideout policing – Acting on police intel to keep watch on known criminal hideouts.
• Community engagement – Ensuring the support and cooperation of the public through dialogue with communities and making use of social media reach.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t working to address 23, 000 police deficit – Ambrose Dery appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Regional Police Commander, COP Ken Yeboah, has since charged the officers to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

He said the Command will deal ruthlessly with any officer found extorting monies from suspects and those found misconducting themselves in the course of duty.

“During this period, we have the criminals also trying to infiltrate to take away from people. They are also going to give us problems, and that is what we are going to prevent. We are not going to allow anybody to tarnish the reputation that we have built…. I expect you to work hard. Be professional in whatever you are going to do. I will not tolerate any form of indiscipline from you. Let us give our best to mother Ghana,” he said.

While urging the officers to be tough and arrest lawbreakers, he said anyone found guilty of any crime will not be spared.

‘Arrest them’

COP Ken Yeboah also charged the police officers to arrest anyone found riding in unregistered vehicles, particularly motorbikes.

“Wherever you found anybody riding a motorbike which is unregistered, please arrest and impound the motorbike and bring it here. Unregistered vehicles, if it is after 6 pm, arrest the person and bring the vehicle here. We are going to organize swoops from tomorrow, everywhere in the city, so that we allow residents enjoy the Christmas period. We will not allow the criminals to put fear in anybody,” he said.

“I do not want to hear anybody extorting money from anybody. If you do that and I get you, you know what I will do to you,” he said.

COP Yeboah reminded the police that the ban on the use of explosives was still in force and urged them to be on the lookout.

He also urged the public to cooperate with the police by giving credible information as they aim to maintain law and order throughout the festivities.

A combined team from the Formed Police Unit, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department and the Anti-robbery squad are on a float on the principal streets of Kumasi to assure the residents of their readiness to fight crime.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the acting head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Service, DCOP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, the system was being piloted in 26 police stations in Accra and Tema.

[contextly_sidebar id=”zFHqPnJeAamHR6430i3OaKH39kPciV51″]She stated that, the system, once it is fully operational, was expected to create a seamless integration of police efforts across the country.

This she said would ensure that all cases are prosecuted quickly and fairly to all parties involved.

“We want to look at a Criminal Investigations Department where we respect the rights of everybody, whether you are a suspect, complainant or victim. We want our officers to be trained in the new, modern trends of investigation. We’ve all heard about going paperless, we also want to do that. As part of the police service’s transformation, one of the thematic areas is to look at modernizing the CID,” DCOP Tiwaa Addo-Danquah told Citi News.

“We’ve started piloting in 26 police stations in Accra and Tema, where most of the things are going paperless. This is so that even if I sit in my office, I’ll know what is happening at the Adabraka Police Station, how many cases are reported and how they are managing them, how many suspects are in custody and whether they’ve exceeded the required 48 hours. Human beings have the tendency to do what they want if nobody is watching and nobody is monitoring.”

DCOP Tiwaa Addo-Danquah made these comments after officials of the CID paid a courtesy call on Citi FM as part of a familiarization tour.

According to the acting CID boss, she is committed to ensuring that her outfit improved its efficiency in preventing crimes not just coming in after they have already happened.

“We’re going to have a CID where officers are self-motivated, not only my money, but that they’ll be motivated to work in such a way that we’ll be able to prevent crime. Crime prevention is key for us, instead of waiting for the crime to happen and then we investigate. We’ll rather do proactive and not reactive policing,” she said.

It has been suggested in some quarters that DCOP Tiwaa Addo-Danquah would be limited in terms of what she can do in an acting position.

However, she brushed aside those concerns, stating that her position as acting head would not affect her commitment to her job.

“Whether I’m acting [as Head of the CID] or in a substantive position, it doesn’t change my attitude towards work. I know I have to do something to make an impact at the CID. I won’t be able to tell you when, but it doesn’t affect how I’m going to work.”

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By: Edwin Kwakofi & Sixtus Dong-Ullo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The two suspects had reportedly been gunned down by police after they attempted to escape in handcuffs.

[contextly_sidebar id=”K9mfXea8R2uwoZjPhW92DRiOeCtiFbYc”]Devastated relatives of one of the suspects, Awudu Osman, popularly called, Awudu Ninja, have said they will use all legal means to seek justice.

The situation prompted the Asawase Member of Parliament, Muntaka Mubarak, to raise the matter on the floor of the House, where he requested that the Interior Minister be made to appear before MPs to speak to the matter.

According to Muntaka Mubarak, who is also the Minority Chief Whip, he tried, in turn, to contact the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, the Interior Minister and National Security Minister when news broke of the death of his constituents; Awudu Osman and Lookman.

However, after he failed to reach any of them, the incident was finally confirmed to him by a Deputy Interior Minister, who revealed that the handcuffed pair had been aiding the police with their investigations but were shot after they tried to escape.

“After the police had arrested three others, the names of the two were mentioned that they were aiding them with guns. The police went in to arrest them but after a search of their residence, they couldn’t find any guns. They had been in custody as the police tried to get information. They will lead them to an area where the police would search, but find nothing. At the fourth place they went according to the deputy minister, the gentlemen tried to abscond and were shot dead,” Muntaka said.

‘We’ll not get anywhere with the police’    

The MP criticized the police for the incident, suggesting that they had failed to give the suspects fair hearing before a court.

He called on Parliament to take up the matter as he feared the case might not see a suitable resolution if it is left to the police to deal with.

“Is it the court that remanded the [suspects]? How many police went with them and what led to their death? Now the family is really devastated. I want to take this opportunity to request that the House gets the Interior Minister to come to the House, probably next week to brief the House on the circumstances to enable the House take firm decisions. I am worried that if we leave this to the police to investigate we may never get anywhere,” Muntaka added.

Family wants justice

Relatives of Osman maintain that, he was innocent and have vowed to use all legal means to seek justice.

His pregnant widowed wife, 33-year old Humu Musah, could not hold her tears as she narrated that the Police officers who came to search the house tasered her deceased husband, hit him with the butt of their guns and subjected him to severe beatings.

Humu said she fell in the process when the police ordered her to the exact place the weapons were hidden.

She fears she could suffer a miscarriage as a result.

“I have left everything to God. It’s God who will seek vengeance for me. Let’s even put my husband’s death aside, but the inhumane treatment the police subjected me to without considering my condition was pitiful. They pushed me to show where the pistols were and dragged me anyhow. Will they have treated their pregnant wives the same as they did to me? I leave everything to God. He will judge us all” she said.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi & Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Parliament summons Dery over suspected robbers’ killing appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Awudu Osman, popularly called, Awudu Ninja, was gunned down with his alleged accomplice at Sepe, a suburb of Kumasi on Thursday.

According to police, the deceased was mentioned in their investigations when they arrested a gang that had been terrorizing residents in parts of the metropolis.

Police officers were dispatched to his residence to search for a pistol he was believed to be hiding there.

[contextly_sidebar id=”T3Hvb7rGGTW2j7lIkSNUUVxrmMKh3zJR”]The police said the suspect, along with his accomplice were both gunned down when they attempted escaping in handcuffs.

Relatives of Osman maintain that, he was innocent and have vowed to use all legal means to seek justice.

His pregnant widowed wife, 33-year old Humu Musah, could not hold her tears as she narrated that the Police officers who came to search the house tasered her deceased husband, hit him with the butt of their guns and subjected him to severe beatings.

Humu said she fell in the process when the police ordered her to the exact place the weapons were hidden.

She fears she could suffer a miscarriage as a result.

“I have left everything to God. It’s God who will seek vengeance for me. Let’s even put my husband’s death aside, but the inhumane treatment the police subjected me to without considering my condition was pitiful. They pushed me to show where the pistols were and dragged me anyhow. Will they have treated their pregnant wives the same as they did to me? I leave everything to God. He will judge us all” she said.

The entire Tewobaabi community has been thrown into a state of shock and mourning following the death of the suspect.

The deceased’s brother, Hussein Abdul Rahaman, said the family will seek justice.

Zongo Chief for the Tewobaabi area, Sarki Alhaji Basiru Toofa, says they will resort to the Holy Quran to seek justice for the deceased.

“We those who believe in the smaller gods, we will turn to the gods to seek justice. And those of us who believe in the Holy Quran, will use it to curse whoever is behind the death of our brother.”

The deceased left behind a pregnant wife and three children.

Police have deposited the body at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) for further investigations.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Family of suspected robber killed by police demand justice appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to a statement from the Ghana Police Service, the complainant was duped by the suspect into paying the said amount with the hope of securing a place in the armed forces.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Aa57GhYbJxCMmgng3PLRREwLjJaE6xhL”]The statement from the police, signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, ASP Effia Tenge, described the suspect as dark in complexion, twenty-seven (27) years old, stands at five feet, nine inches tall, slightly built and has a tribal mark on his right cheek.

“He was last seen on 15th October, 2015 in a Red Burberry Shirt,” the police added.

There are reports that the suspect is hiding out in and around, Swedru, Kumasi and Accra.

“Anybody with information on his whereabouts should report to the Community 18 District Police Station, or call telephone numbers 0544 -343149 or 020-9310493, the Police Crime Fighters MTN/Vodafone Toll-Free Number, 18555 for rapid response,” the statement added.

Fake landlord wanted

The Police are also searching for a 28-year-old man, who reportedly posed as a landlord, and extorted an amount of GHc 31, 000 from a potential tenant.

According to the Police, the suspect, Nana Yaw, collected the amount from the complainant on the pretence of renting him a two-bedroom apartment at Tema in February.

A warrant has since been issued by a Magistrate Court in Accra for Nana Yaw’s arrest after he bolted with the money.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Fake soldier wanted for defrauding man of GH¢28, 000 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The government has been questioned about its commitment to ensuring security in the country, following a recent upsurge in the number of incidents involving political vigilantes across the country.

[contextly_sidebar id=”hN6lL5wzehiMIwnEf3sqx7dESOfiCel5″]Several groups of Ghanaian youth, believed to be members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), have gone on rampage in recent months, seizing public toilets and toll booths, locking up state establishments and attacking some state officials.

President Akufo-Addo reiterated his position that the laws of the country will crack the whip on political party vigilante groups, but many have brushed off his comments as usual rhetoric from government.

In response to the growing public dissent, the Interior Minister has now charged the police service to crack down on vigilante groups in a bid to arrest the growing threat.

He has directed the  Police Commanders have to ensure that vigilantes are arrested and put before court or face sanctions.

“The President has made it clear, and I have repeated it time without number that we must arrest all those who breach the law without any exception; regardless of party colour and regardless of position. The police’s job is to make sure that they enforce the law. They don’t need to be told, but we have a President who has said that they must do so. Let me make it clear that now if there is vigilantism in any part of the country, the police in that area must either arrest the perpetrators, investigate and bring them before justice or the Commander must be sanctioned” Ambrose Dery said whilst addressing the Central Regional Police Command at Cape Coast on Tuesday.

“If there is any vigilantism is in your area, you must investigate and bring them to book otherwise the commander of that area – be it the village, district or regional commanders – must be sanctioned, we must stop it. When incidents occur, you either tell us you’ve arrested the perpetrators and are investigating or you are sanctioned. Whoever it is that’s supposed to sanction but doesn’t do so, will be sanctioned as well. We don’t want any more stories.”

A number of critics have accused the government of failing to ensure the perpetrators of vigilantism are sanctioned, with many suggesting that even the ones who are arrested and prosecuted are “treated with kid gloves.”

They have cited several instances of persons arrested for political vigilantism who are eventually let go with minimal punishments, including the Delta Force 13 who were fined GHc 1,800 each after being charged with rioting, despite assaulting the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator.

However, Ambrose Dery insisted that the government was committed to letting the police go about their duties without any interference.

“We’ll not interfere in the operational decisions, but we will stop vigilantism. We are not going to hold back,“ he said.

The Minister admitted that, despite the efforts by the police in fighting crime, if vigilantism is not dealt with, it has the potential to negatively affect all the good policies of government such as the One District-One Factory policy.

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By: Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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