Police Mad At Swedru Chief

The Central Regional Police Command has expressed worry about how the chief of Agona Swedru in the Agona West District of the Central Region, Nana Botwe, has resorted to the use of media platforms to tarnish the hard worn reputation of police and public officers in the region.

According to the police, Nana Botwe’s allegation that the police in the area were conniving with criminals to increase crime rate, thus the need for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Paul Tawiah Quaye to transfer all of them, was totally out of place.

Addressing a press conference in Cape Coast to react to the chief’s allegation, which was published in Daily Guide on Tuesday, August 21, 2012, the Central Regional Police Commander, DCOP Stephen Andoh Kwofie, revealed that the police were there to ensure peace and order in the area and not to indulge in criminal activities with miscreants who dealt in drugs and cyber crimes.

The police chief added that the chief was rather the one who pleaded for bail for criminals who had been arrested by the police in the area.

He added that the chief’s allegation was to get back at the police for refusing to give his residence 24-hour police protection when he asked for it sometime ago.

He added that the chief was probably infuriated by the police refusing a drink he offered them.

He challenged Nana Botwe to come out and mention the names of the said police personnel who had connived with criminals in the area.

He warned that should Nana Botwe refuse to do so, he would be arrested and charged with aiding and abetting criminals since he had on many occasions come to the Swedru District Police to bail criminals who had been arrested.

DCOP Andoh Kwofie added that a decision by the police and the District Chief Executive in the area to introduce community policing to ensure total peace was rejected by the chief, adding that they were therefore surprised the same man turned round to accuse the police of conniving with criminals.

He said the IGP had not received any complaints concerning his personnel at Agona Swedru and would therefore not transfer them unless there was evidence on the chief’s allegation.

He however urged Nana Botwe to support the police in arresting criminals who were disturbing residents of the area.

The acting Divisional Police Commander at Agona Swedru, ACP Owusu Donyinah, revealed that Nana Botwe on one occasion stormed the police station and ordered the release of some criminals who were arrested for vandalizing a recreational center.

He added that the chief categorically stated that if the said criminals were not released, he would sleep there with his followers, a situation which forced the divisional commander to release them.