General News of Wednesday, 15 May 2002

Source:  

They Are Robbers - Police Boss

The Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Dr. Kofi Kesse Manfo has described as unfortunate media reports that the military and police operations to arrest armed robbers are unsatisfactory because those are not robbers.

He said: "At Sodom and Gomorrah of 200 people who were screened 24 of them were identified by victims as armed robbers who attacked them."

He said most of the robbers have been arraigned before court and it would take some time before they could be brought to book.

Speaking to The Accra Daily Mail in an interview Dr. Manfo disclosed that about 346 suspected criminals were arrested in another eight-hour swoop at Mamprobi and Korle Bu, Flamingo, Tudu and Kinbu.

Giving a break down, he said at Korle Bu Indafa Park 103 people were arrested in an uncompleted building who are believed to be bag snatchers. Twenty-seven people were rounded up at Flamingo who are suspected armed robbers and at Kinbu and Tudu 216 were arrested for drug related offences.

He said: "Some were found with 'wee' and cocaine while some were found in the act of smoking cocaine and wee. So all together 346 suspects have been arrested in today's swoop."

The joint military and police exercise was conducted by 400 personnel with twenty officers under the joint command of Brig. A.B. Danquah and Dr. K.K. Manfo and assisted by Lt. Col. J.B. Guyiri and Chief Superintendent Kofi Boakye, Deputy Regional Police Commander.