THE INSPECTOR General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has ordered for the immediate interdiction of some five police officers on ground of extortion.
The personnel included C/Inspector Williams Tawiah, NO. 40845; G/SGT Ibrahim Iddi, NO. 40921; G/SGT Richard Otoo, NO. 44040; G/SGT Samuel Kumah and G/CPL Richard Kpeanaah, NO. 55135; all attached to the Headquarters Patrols Unit in Accra.
A letter issued by the Police Administration and signed by the Chief Staff Officer, Chief Superintendent Alex K. Safo-Adu, said the IGP has further directed that all weapons, uniforms and other police accoutrements in the suspended officers possession, should be collected into safe custody.
The five suspects have been accused by one Taminu, a driver, in a video circulating on social media of planting a dried substance suspected to be Indian hemp in his car, assault and extortion on January 2, 2022.
In the said video, Taminu was seen with a bottle of hard liquor standing by a river, invoking curses on the police officers for planting the Indian hemp into the back seat of his car, assaulting him as a result and further taking GH¢500 from him before releasing him.
Investigations by the police in Asamankese into the matter on January 4, 2022, indicated that about 9.30am, the Divisional Commander of Asamankese, C/Supt Felix Apedo, accompanied by his Divisional Crime Officer, ASP/Mr. C.T. Apronti, traced the victim of the alleged extortion to Anum Apapam.
The police said the victim, who identified himself as Taminu, aged 31 and unemployed, later visited the Anum Apapam Police Station with his mother by name Fuseina Kpantey, where he narrated in his statement that on Sunday, January 2, 2022, around 5pm, he was driving a DV plated Toyota Corolla saloon car belonging to his friend, one Nketiah Frank, from Anum Apapam to Asamankese to buy a tyre for his private vehicle.
When he reached Sukruntu, near Asamankese, the victim said he met a five-man team of police officers from the National Highway Patrol team on board a white pick-up with registration No.GP 2517.
He claimed that he was searched and one of them informed him that he has found a wrapped substance suspected to be Indian hemp at the back seat.
The victim said he was arrested and assaulted. In the process, Abu, a friend of his, who happened to chance upon the assault, intervened. The policemen then demanded and collected GH¢500 cedis from him through his friend Abu, before he was released.
Action Taken
Chief Supt Apedo and his crime officer later invited the accused police officers for interrogation where they denied planting the suspected Indian hemp on the complainant.
The statement said the suspects, however, admitted having collected GH¢450 from the victim through his friend, Abu, before releasing him.
“Meanwhile, a statement has been taken from the victim while statement forms have been issued to the police officers to submit their written statements,” a statement from the police mentioned.
BY Linda Tenyah-Ayettey