General News of Monday, 23 April 2012

Source: Daily Guide

Pregnant Woman Grabbed For Snatching Taxi

Three Persons including a pregnant woman who allegedly snatched a taxi from its driver by drugging him with valium, popularly known as 'Blue Blue' at Amasaman, have been arrested by the Accra Regional Police Command.

The suspects are Selassie Tulavor-22, a welder, Ishmael K. Asante-34, a driver and Amu Selassie-23, a pregnant woman.

The suspects were arrested when they attempted to sell the car to a buyer at Darkuman in Accra.

Briefing journalists, the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said the suspects allegedly laced a bowl of fufu and palm nut soup with valium and offered it to the driver of the taxi cab who is yet to be identified.

Last Thursday, suspect Ishmael K. Asante allegedly called Selassie Tulavor on phone to come over to his residence at Kasoa Iron City for a discussion.

At the residence, Selassie allegedly spent the night there where various issues were discussed as to how they could get a vehicle to sell.

The following morning, the suspects, together with Ishmael's pregnant wife Amu Selassie, went to Amasaman to get the taxi. At Amasaman, Selassie left the couple there and went to Nsawam to get a taxi.

Around 4pm, Selassie returned with a Kia Rio taxi cab with registration number GS 3563-10 to Amasaman to pick the other accomplices.

Half way through Amasaman, the suspects allegedly told the taxi driver that they were hungry and would want him to join them and have meal at a 'chop bar' before continuing the journey.

The suspects allegedly dropped some grounded valium into the driver's meal.

Some minutes later, Selassie and Ishmael called Amu Selassie to find out if the driver was asleep.

Upon realising that the driver was fast asleep, the suspects drove the vehicle to Ofankor Old barrier area and dumped the driver in an uncompleted room in a nearby bush and absconded with the vehicle.

The three took the vehicle to Darkuman to sell when the police, upon a tip-off, accosted them.

They are in police custody assisting in investigations.

DCOP Yohuno urged drivers who were fond of accepting gifts from passengers to be careful.

He said this was the new modus operandi of most car snatchers in the city.