Police, CEPS Officials in Extortion Spree

UNSCRUPULOUS personnel drawn from the Ghana Police Service (GPS) and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) manning the Samanye barrier and Elubo border in the Jomoro District of the Western Region have colluded in an exercise, denting Ghana's reputation in the process.

The above named personnel are extorting money from foreigners, precisely Ivorians, who come into the country to conduct trading activities and return to their country in the process.

This reporter could not believe it when he traveled from Takoradi to Elubo on an errand in a local 206 Benz Bus. When the vehicle touched down at the said Samanye barrier, the driver stopped and ordered all the passengers to get down and go through the 'routine process' before continuing with the journey.

The process was for the passengers to line up and use a passage leading to an obscure uncompleted shed serving as a resting point for the Police and the CEPS officials.

Indeed, it was a horrible 'routine process' as the Police and the CEPS officials colluded to extort money from the Ivorian nationals onboard the vehicle before allowing them to continue with their journey.

The personnel were able to identify the Ivorians by speaking the local dialect, Akan, and if one was unable to answer, then definitely one was tagged as a foreigner and eventually had to vomit an amount of money ranging between 10,000 to 20,000 cedis in the process to clear the hurdle.

This reporter was mistaken as a foreigner on his way back to Takoradi and a CEPS Officer approached him and signaled him (reporter) to get down from the vehicle and use the routine process. This reporter was defiant and finally asked him 'Do you know you are denting Ghana's image?". The CEPS Officer recoiled into his shells and found his way somewhere.

A broadcast Journalist here, Mr. James Salvo also recounted a similar problem he had gone through at the hands of the Police and CEPS officials at the said barrier where he was mistaken for a foreigner and the officials at the barrier demanded money from him to 'clear the hurdle'.

He concluded that the hierarchy of the Police Service in the Region was aware of the extortion of money going on at both the Samanye barrier and Elubo border. "I laid the problem before the hierarchy of the GPS and I was told only to record the voices of the Police Officers involved in the extortion, that was all".

However, this reporter found out from his driver as to whether this has been the usual process.

He answered in the affirmative and even went to the extent of justifying the actions of the Police and the CEPS Officers at the above-mentioned barrier.

According to the driver, the Police and the CEPS Officers were justified in extorting money from the foreigners (Ivorians) because the Ivorian Police also manning their side of the border were doing likewise to Ghanaian citizens travelling to that country.

He told this reporter that, apart from Ghanaian passengers travelling on STC buses, others were taken through inhuman treatment at the Ivory Coast border before they finally get to the country.

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Meanwhile, the Jomoro District Commander of the Ghana Police Service, ASP Nana Ekow Yawson told this reporter that he was not aware that his men at the said barrier were extorting monies from foreigners. He told this paper that, he has been frequenting the border and whenever he does so, he does not see anything concerning extortion. But he conceded that, in as much as there were bad nuts in every society, he would not play down this reporter's findings and would consequently investigate and get back to him.

He told this reporter, "some are there to see to their whims and caprices and that is soiling the image of the Service". Attempts to reach the Regional Commander of the Service, Mr. Kofi Duku Arthur proved futile as his telephone was engaged.

It is on the lips of Ivorian nationals who trek to Elubo every morning that the Police and CEPS officials extort monies from them before allowing them to Elubo to conduct their trading activities.