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Crime & Punishment of Wednesday, 24 April 2013

Source: Daily Guide

NDC activist impersonates BNI

Osanyongmor James Narh, an activist of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), has been grabbed by the Akuse Police in the Eastern region for posing as a National Security operative.

A spot check on the suspect revealed complimentary cards of top government appointees together with a hard copy of all NDC sitting Members of Parliament (MP).

The 26-year-old plumber, resident of Osu in Accra was arrested on Friday, April 19, 2013 at Asitey, a suburb of Krobo-Odumase where he hailed from.

He is alleged to have posed as a national security operative and a Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) staff assigned to impound some lumber he suspected might have been acquired illegally by a timber merchant in Somanya.

Even though the timber merchant who is one of the complainants in the case had genuine papers, the suspect insisted his boss (allegedly referring to the Eastern Regional national security boss) had instructed him to impound the truck load of timber until he (the said boss) had personally come to inspect them.

He is alleged to have used his self-acquired position to terrify and extort money from timber merchants in the area who had always seen him as a security capo.

The lid was however blown off his activities when he became confrontational with a forestry officer over legal documents covering one of the complainants’ truck load of timber, insisting the produce was from an illegal chainsaw operation.

Irate youth in the area after the discovery pounced on him and later handed him over to the Police.

ASP Omari Boakyi, Akuse District Police Commander who confirmed the story said the suspect was on Monday, April 22, 2013 arraigned before the Somanya Circuit Court on four counts of defrauding by false pretence, personation, and extortion.

He has been remanded into prison custody to reappear on Monday, May 6, 2013.