Detective Corporal Vincent Adorvlo and a Community Police were investigating a reported threat on the lives of a local pastor and his congregants when the town folks rounded them up at the Chief’s Palace.

[contextly_sidebar id=”yIWDJggVXjYsDgzBwbpnPvi06d5lFFEX”]The town-folks, who according to eyewitnesses thought the police were arresting their chief, besieged the Palace with weapons and other sharp objects to ostensibly attack the officers.

Narrating the incident to Citi News, the eyewitness said the angry youth who manhandled the officers were chanting war songs and issuing death threats.

Gripped by fear, the Chief whisked the officers into his room while the community elders calmed the mob.

It took about three hours to restore calm and escort the investigators to their base.

Reports suggested that the town-folks have been up in arms against a church whose pastor they accused of certain misconducts.

The North Dayi District Commander of the Ghana Police Service, ASP Tawiah, who confirmed the incident to Citi News,  said the Detectives were at the Chief’s Palace to invite through the chief, the leader of the gang that was threatening the lives of the pastor and his church.

He said his outfit had commenced investigations into the matter to bring culprits to book.

–

By: King Norbert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Two Police officers escape lynching in Volta Region appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the CID is still investigating his alleged crime and has not proffered any charges against him.

“I was only in custody and let the records state that I have not been charged. I won’t go into the legality of it but I have not been charged with any offence. The police are still investigating the matter,” he added.

Mr. Anyidoho issued the disclaimer on Citi FM’s current affairs and news analysis programme, The Big Issue today, [Saturday], March 31, 2018.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6pnXcd2FHYhXht4TfDmjXb65c5k9UkME”]Mr. Anyidoho was picked up last Tuesday by the CID for allegedly making some claims on public radio which have been deemed as treasonable.

He had, in an interview on Accra-based Happy FM, indicated that President Akufo-Addo will be overthrown because of the ratification of the controversial defence cooperation agreement between Ghana and the US saying it could spark a “social revolution” in Ghana.

“There will be a civilian coup d’état. There will be a social revolution. We [NDC] are starting it on Wednesday. The movement is starting on Wednesday. Nana Addo will have sleepless nights. He will suffer diarrhoea. He said he wanted to be president, but we will make sure he will be fed up on the seat,’’ he added.

Anyidoho has since been widely condemned for the comments.

He subsequently spent two nights at the custody of the Bureau of National Investigations after which the CID granted him bail on Friday.

Speaking on the Big Issue, Koku Anyidoho blamed the media for misreporting the alleged charges proffered against him by the CID.

“[Whether] mainstream media, social media, let us be all measured in the things that we report. As I came out of detention yesterday, from Graphic, [there were headlines such as] Koku Anyidoho charged. Who charged Koku Anyidoho? It’s sad. Who charged who? Where is the charge?” he fumed.

My detention was an experience

Recounting his confinement at the BNI, he said he was not manhandled, and was not also put in handcuffs as being speculated.

Mr. Anyidoho also described it as an experience saying his respect for the security agencies had gone up because of the professional manner in which they dealt with the case.

“The state said I had to be detained and I was detained; and it allowed me as a politician to begin to accept and respect the police, BNI bigger than ever before.  Not that I ever disrespected them but now they have my greater respect.”

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post I’ve not been charged – Anyidoho insists  appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr Anyidoho was released by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the agency handling the case, in the presence of his father, Major General Henry Kwami Anyidoho and his lawyers.

CitiNewsroom’s Fred Djabanor reported that the conditions under which he was released are immediately not known.

Mr Anyidoho was picked up at the International Press centre on Tuesday for making comments deemed treasonable.

[contextly_sidebar id=”M9HDwW5wNrxXCbQxrDlM50s6kcncjVKC”]He was subsequently charged with treason.

Police have since been given permission to seize all electronic devices belonging to Mr Anyidoho by a High Court.

The court gave permission for all electronic gadgets including laptops, iPhone and iPads, believed to hold information related to the charge to be seized to aid the police investigations.

Mr Anyidoho landed in hot waters when, in an interview on Accra-based Happy FM, he called for the overthrow of President Nana Akufo-Addo over the ratification of the controversial defence cooperation agreement between Ghana and the US.

He said the overthrow will be in the form of a “civilian coup d’etat”.

The host of the show on which the comments were made, Kwame Affrifa, had also been invited by the police to aid in their investigations.

Support from Mahama

A former President, John Mahama, made recent comments on social media which suggest he did not approve of the way Mr. Anyidoho was taken into custody by the police.

On Wednesday, Mr Mahama criticised the Police for what he described as their ‘high-handed’ responses to “innocent” Ghanaians who massed up at the Police Headquarters on Tuesday night in solidarity with the arrested NDC national executive.

In a Facebook post, the former President chided Akufo-Addo government for the manner in which Mr Anyidoho was arrested and later charged with treason.

He, however, did not make mention of the comments made by Mr Anyidoho which have been widely condemned.

Mr Mahama later visited Mr Anyidoho at the BNI headquarters.

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey & Fred Djabanor/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Koku Anyidoho granted bail appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Latif Iddris, who has been on admission at the Lighthouse Mission Hospital in Accra, sustained injuries on his ribs and neck.

[contextly_sidebar id=”MaqaxvzfAEkI9lw2YlkvUCuyEPpQH6Xs”]Latif Iddris on Tuesday night, had gone to cover protests at the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service on March 27, 2018, where a Deputy General Secretary of Ghana’s main opposition party, NDC, Koku Anyidoho, was being held on treason charges.

The journalist approached one policeman and asked him the name of one of the anti-riot vehicles that had been deployed to control the crowd.

To his shock, the innocent question angered the policeman who ordered him to get away. The police officer subsequently grabbed the retreating journalist from behind and slapped him for “asking a stupid question.”

“He then pushed me into a crowd of other police officers who had no clue what had transpired between the two of us but also started beating me up,” Iddris later narrated.

The police officers, now numbering about eight, took turns to assault the journalist.

One of them hit him in the rib with a stick; another officer used the butt of his gun to hit his head about three times. Some of the officers also kicked him.

After about seven minutes of manhandling, the reporter was rescued by another senior officer. Iddris was rushed to the Light House Hospital at North Kaneshie, a suburb of Accra, where he received treatment for the swellings on his face and bruises on his body.

Lands Minister John Peter Amewu, who condemned the action by the police, encouraged Latif not to be distracted by such acts as a journalist.

He also donated an unspecified amount of money to him to aid his treatment.

The Minister was accompanied by the Public Relations Officer of the Lands Ministry, Abraham Otabil, CitiNews’ Kojo Agyeman, Kwabena Adu Gyamfi of TV3 Network, Kweku Stephen of Oman FM, and Clara Mlano of Ghana Television.
–
By: Kojo Agyeman/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Amewu condemns police assault on journalist at CID Headquarters appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Latif Iddris had gone to cover protests at the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service on March 27, 2018, where a Deputy General Secretary of Ghana’s main opposition party, NDC, Koku Anyidoho, was being held on treason charges.

The journalist approached one policeman and asked him the name of one of the anti-riot vehicles that had been deployed to control the crowd.

To his shock, the innocent question angered the policeman who ordered him to get away. The police officer subsequently grabbed the retreating journalist from behind and slapped him for “asking a stupid question.”

“He then pushed me into a crowd of other police officers who had no clue what had transpired between the two of us but also started beating me up,” Iddris later narrated.

The police officers, now numbering about eight, took turns to assault the journalist.

One of them hit him in the rib with a stick; another officer used the butt of his gun to hit his head about three times. Some of the officers also kicked him.

After about seven minutes of manhandling, the reporter was rescued by another senior officer. Iddris was rushed to the Light House Hospital at North Kaneshie, a suburb of Accra, where he received treatment for the swellings on his face and bruises on his body.

The MFWA is thus calling on the leadership of the Ghana police Service to immediately investigate the incident and bring to book the officers who perpetrated the violent crime against the journalist.

“We also call on the Ghanaian media and journalists to stand up against acts of violence against colleagues” the MFWA said.

MFWA petitions NPP Chairman over attack on journalists

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in January 2018, asked the National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, to help bring to book party activists who attacked some four journalists at the party headquarters in the latter part of 2017.

In a petition to Mr. Freddie Blay and copied to the IGP, MFWA urged the party to formally condemn the incident, apologize to the victims and punish the perpetrators.

Three journalists, including Citi FM’s Marie-Franz Fordjoe, and two others from TV3 and Ghanaweb, were assaulted by security guards at the NPP’s headquarters when they were covering a demonstration by some angry party members on December 21, 2017.

–
By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Media Foundation condemns police assault on journalist; demands probe appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A police source at the CID Headquarters in Accra, where Mr. Anyidoho is being held, confirmed the latest development to Citi News.

This comes shortly after he was taken to his house for a thorough search, and brought back to the CID Headquarters, where hundreds of NDC supporters had gathered outside demanding his release.

Mr. Anyidoho in an interview on Accra-based Happy FM, indicated that President Akufo-Addo will be overthrown just like his father and the late Dr. K. A Busia due to the ratification of the controversial defence cooperation agreement between the US and the government of Ghana.

“Somebody should tell Nana Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. On the 13th of January 1972, a certain Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led an insurrection that removed the progress party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo Addo’s father was the ceremonial President. Someone should tell Akufo-Addo that history has an interesting way of repeating itself,” Anyidoho warned.

When he was asked by the Host to clarify his statement , Koku Anyidoho maintained that “history has an interesting way of repeating itself.”

“There will be a civilian coup d’état. There will be a social revolution. We [NDC] are starting it on Wednesday. The movement is starting on Wednesday. Nana Addo will have sleepless nights. He will suffer diarrhea. He said he wanted to be president, but we will make sure he will be fed up on the seat,’’ he noted further.

Mr. Sylvester Mensah, a leading member of the NDC, told a crowd of NDC supporters that he has been told that Mr. Anyidoho would not be granted bail.

He thus charged the supporters not to go home, saying the turn of events clearly shows the issue had become political.

“We have been told by the officer in charge that they are not going to grant him bail. There’s a law in this country that allows every offense to be bailable. Our lawyers are out there very angry. The General Secretary and senior party members are all there extremely angry, and to say that you cannot bail him is a political issue, and I don’t think anybody should go home.”

Citi News‘ Fred Djabanor also reports from the Police Headquarters that there had been attempts by national executives of the NDC and lawyers, to secure bail for Mr. Anyidoho, but that has not happened, as he has now been moved from the Police CID to an unknown location.

Addressing party supporters, Mr. Asiedu Nketia said the party will still join in the demonstration scheduled for Wednesday against the Ghana-US defence cooperation agreement ratified by Parliament last Friday despite a boycott by the Minority.

The Arrest

Mr. Anyidoho was picked up at the International Press Centre in Accra during a press conference by a group of opposition political parties known as the Inter-Party Coalition for National Sovereignty, who are kicking against the Ghana-US Defence Cooperation agreement ratified by Parliament last Friday.

The group comprises the People’s National Convention [PNC], the National Democratic Congress [NDC], the Convention People’s Party [CPP], the Progressive People’s Party [PPP], and the All People’s Congress [APC].

The press conference was attended by a number of the parties’ top officials including NDC’s General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Hassan Ayariga of the APC and Bernard Mornah, PNC Chairman, who condemned the invasion of the press conference to arrest Mr. Ayidoho, saying it was an attempt to silence them and a threat to freedom of speech.

–

By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Anyidoho charged with treason, refused bail appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to President Akufo-Addo, the aim of his administration is to strengthen the Police, to make it an honest, disciplined, efficient and robust force, whose emphasis will be on proactive and preventive policing, rather than reactive.

“This year, we are undertaking the rehabilitation of police stations across the country to standardize the infrastructure”, the President said.

“In addition to recruiting some 4,000 more police officers this year, negotiations have just been completed for the roll-out of Phase II of the Alpha Project, which involves the deployment of a total of 8,700 CCTV cameras across all the districts, with three command centres in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale.”

Outlining Government’s plans to further equip the Police better, the President stated that “at least 1,000 new vehicles are being procured for the Police this year. Already 200 pick-up vehicles have been allocated under Operation Calm Life, with 200 saloon vehicles to be delivered soon, with more to come.”

Resources, the President assured, have been allocated for police kits, protective gears and adequate quantities of other essential equipment.

He thus urged the Police on their part, to “pay particular attention to the proper maintenance of these equipment and facilities.”

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Sunday, 18th March, 2018, when he commissioned the Bekwai Divisional Police Headquarters, constructed by the Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Joseph Osei Wusu.

The Bekwai Divisional Police Headquarters is the second building constructed for the Police in Bekwai, and will serve the peoples of Amansie West, Amansie Central, Bekwai, Bosome Freho and Fomena.

Describing the initiative undertaken by the Bekwai MP as “an excellent example of the contribution that a responsible citizen can make to the general welfare of the community”, the President indicated that the most important things for a nation are the peace and safety of its people, and its territorial integrity.

“It is when these are guaranteed that citizens can go about their normal lives in security, and try to improve upon the quality of their circumstances. We all sleep feeling protected when the men and women of the Police Service work to keep our nation, our communities and our streets safe,” he said.

With the issue of law and order being particularly important at this time when indiscipline, lawlessness and outbreaks of mob justice are threatening the rule of law, President Akufo-Addo stated that it is vital that the Executive should offer its full support to the Police to allow it to perform its duty of maintaining law and order.

“It is my hope and expectation that the Police in this Division will enhance their engagement with the communities they serve, because that is a more sustainable way of reducing crime,” he said.

The President also urged residents to co-operate with the Police and give them maximum backing in the discharge of their duties.

“When the community and police work together, we can be assured of our safety and security, and then we can channel all our energies and resources into building a progressive and prosperous nation,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo was confident that “with the citizenry and police joined together at the front-line in the fight against crime, we can help establish an orderly society, governed by the rule of law.”

Government has already announced a budget of Ghc800,000 million to retool the Police Service.

–

By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t to deploy 8,700 CCTV cameras to help fight crime appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The family, who are emotionally traumatized after the baby who was playing with his twin brother on their corridor mysteriously disappeared, are afraid their hopes of seeing the boy alive soon will fade if police delays with their investigations.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Lt84kWJB53qKkAosnfpeTzZPDgXyFRNm”]Three children have within a month allegedly gone missing in Kyebi in the East Akyem Municipality, a situation which has caused fear and panic among residents living in and around the area.

The father of the missing child, Frederick Zikpli, in a Citi News interview at the family house where the child was abducted, expressed worry over the slow pace of police investigations.

“It has not been easy at all; I must be frank with you. I was in Aburi last week when my wife called to inform me the junior among the twins cannot be found so I had to rush here and truly too when I arrived I met a lot of people here in my house searching the whole area and behind the back of our house to check if they can see my son”.

“My wife has been crying since last week, she stays up to dawn and cries throughout the night, our lives as a family have not been the same again and we are afraid that as the days pass and we do not hear any news we may not see him again so am calling on the police and CID to really speed up with their investigations as early as possible because I do not know what we can do without the boy,” he said.

Demand for ransom

Mr. Zipkli further disclosed how some criminals are trying to take advantage of their situation to dupe them into paying money as ransom supposedly for his missing child.

“I received a call yesterday [Monday] from a strange number who asked if was the father of the missing child which I confirmed I was, he then told me he has my son so I should pay GHC 5,000.00 if I wanted to see my son again. I quickly went to the police station to inform the crime officer and at that very moment, he called again in the presence of the crime officer demanding that I now pay GHC 1,000.00 to a mobile account number. The crime officer then took the contact number and I’m sure they are investigating”.

Police being sluggish

Opanyin Kwasi Amoako, 65-year-old victim and a resident of Kyebi who also lost his 17- year old son a month ago, has threatened to petition the Eastern Regional Police Commander on what he describes as the sluggish manner in which the Kyebi Police has handled the disappearance of his child when he first reported the case.

In an interview with Citi News, Opanyin Kwasi Amoako said he has lost trust in the police at Kyebi.

“I cannot hide it from anyone, I have no confidence or hope in the police here, I have lost trust in them and I do not trust their abilities because for over 40 days now when my wife and I went to lodge the complaint at the station about the disappearance of our son, not even a single personnel has called to say anything about the case or even come to our house to say something so I have decided to go to Koforidua this week to inform the regional Police Commander about my case and the attitude of his men here”.

When Citi News visited the East Akyem Municipal Police Station with Opanyin Kwasi Amoako, the officer whom the case was first reported to, could not retrieve the date and other information he wrote in their book, but the Police Commander assured residents of their safety.

“I want to assure every one in Kyebi of their security and safety. The police here will work effectively to make sure we bring the perpetrators of this horrible acts to book”.

–

By: Niel Amartey Karnaku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post E/Region: Family of missing child call for speedy investigations appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the Command, this was part of measures to curb violent crimes within the metropolis and the region as a whole.

[contextly_sidebar id=”i8xMguM8PlMsncR8YvcmW6uMPnlNQFQp”]The swoops were conducted at places such as Asafo BB, Oforikrom, Bantama, Kwadaso Borla, Suame, Krofrom and Adum Railways.

The ages of the suspects ranged between 20 and 35 years. Police have also impounded an unregistered motorbike.

Police also retrieved substances believed to be Indian hemp from some of the suspects.

Addressing journalists in Kumasi on 13^th March 2018, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, COP Ken Yeboah, said the suspects have been placed in custody assisting in investigations.

He said the Command will soon parade the suspects to give victims the opportunity to identify them.

COP Ken Yeboah assured the residents in the region of its resolve to fight crime to its barest minimum.

He also called on the public to support the command in fighting crime by giving credible, reliable, accurate and timely information that will lead to the arrest of suspected criminals.

–

By: Hafiz Tijani/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ashanti Police rounds up 46 suspects in swoop appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The two, Vikuriba Joe Zoot and Kozel Borama have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and murder.

[contextly_sidebar id=”pqNEjVKrBbzBtRQAKCj8CXeyseto2dLx”]The state prosecutor told the court it has sent the docket to the Attorney General for advice.

Head of the deceased’s family, Doodah Babakparabanah, said the family is looking forward to a severe punishment for the suspects.

“We did not even know we were coming to court today. The CID asked us to come so that the body of the boy will be released to us. It is not right for the young boy to be in the mortuary for long. Now that the suspects are in the custody of the Police, the law must deal with them.”

Background 

The two; Vikuriba Joe Zoot, 21, and Kozel Borama, 25, were arrested on March 7, 2018 with the human head in their possession at Ampabame near Sokoban in Kumasi.

The deceased, identified as Silas Kunsana, a twin, was picked up by the suspects at Suame, a suburb of Kumasi.

According to police, the suspects lured the deceased with Yoghurt and took him to the uncompleted building in a Taxi cab to commit the act.

The suspects approached a spiritualist, Sheik Alhaji Mohammed Maheey at Suame to buy the human head who accepted to buy the head for GHc 2,500 and secretly alerted the police.

The Police proceeded to the residence of the spiritualist at Suame Zongo and arrested the suspects with the fresh head, which was concealed in a black polythene bag.

The suspects later led police to retrieve the decapitated body at an uncompleted building on the outskirts of Sokoban.

Mother of murdered boy wants culprits beheaded

Mother of the victim has since appealed to the IGP to punish the perpetrators in equal measure.

30-year-old Janet Salifu believes this is the only remedy that will lessen her pain and give her some respite.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 2 suspects remanded for allegedly beheading 5-yr-old appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.