General News of Saturday, 3 August 2013

Source: Daily Guide

Bank robber is my brother – Says NDC chairman

Yaw Obimpeh, the Ashanti regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), seems to be in hot waters.

The politician has been accused of engaging a suspected robber, who is in the grip of the police, as his personal bodyguard for many years.

Abdulai Fuseini, alias Mjinma, is the suspected robber who is being linked with Mr. Obimpeh.

Mijinma was nabbed by the police in connection with a robbery attack on Juaben Rural Bank at Fumesua near Kumasi on Tuesday.

One of the robbers by name Yusif aka Johnny was shot and killed by the police in a gun battle.

But in a sharp rebuttal, the NDC chairman said there was no iota of truth in reports that Mijinma was his bodyguard.

Setting the records straight, Obimpeh stressed that the robbery suspect “is like a brother to me for over two decades.”

In a chat with Oheneba of Boss FM, he said he has known Mijinma since 1992, noting that Mijinma was being wrongly accused as a robber.

According to the NDC chairman, Mijinma is not a robber but rather a scrap dealer who also engages in other legal businesses.

“Mijinma is not my bodyguard, nobody can protect me except God, he is like a brother to me.

“I and Mijinmma stay in the same house at Krapa. We eat and do things together on a daily basis.

“He is just like a brother to me, the only difference between us excuse me to say, is that I am an Asante and he is a northerner.”

The NDC capo said he was prepared to swear on his life to clear the name of Mijinma in the robbery spree at Fumesua.

Mr. Obimpeh confirmed that he rushed to the Central Police station on Tuesday to seek for bail for Mijinma “because he is innocent.”

Asked about what Mijinma was doing at the robbery scene, he said he (Mijinma) rushed there to help arrest the robbers at the bank.

Mr. Obimpeh said a certain traditional ruler in the area called Mijinma to arrange some men to confront the robbers, who were ransacking cash at the bank.

He said unfortunately for Mijinma, he was mistook for a robber by the police who apprehended him.