The Accra Regional Police Command has apprehended five police officers who were part of eight others cited for allegedly extorting and robbing two victims in Accra.
The personnel who were in two patrol vehicles operating separately alleged took money to the tune of GHC38, 000 from two victims, one at gunpoint at Okponglo and Kaneshie areas.
The victims claimed the police officers accused them of being fraudsters or ‘sakawa boys’
The identities of the arrested officers have been withheld by the police, but Daily Guide has Learnt one of the vehicles used was an Operation Calm Life Vehicle while the other was just a service car.
First case
Daily Guide sources have revealed that the first case occurred on Friday, May 21, 2021 around 11:20pm while the second case occurred around 2am the following day.
nformation gathered indicates that the victim in the first case identified as Abdullai Ibrahim was driving his unregistered Mercedes Benz with trade plate number DV-2508 from Ashongman to the Legon Hospital that fateful night.
Upon reaching a section of the road in front of the Haatso Branch of Ecobank, off the Atomic-Madina road, the three policemen using a Police service vehicle stopped him to search his car.
Sources said the officers after the search, accused the victim of being a cyber fraudster or “sakawa boy”.
“Two of the police officers handcuffed him, seized his car and his mobile phone, put him in his own car while another police officer took over the steering wheel, while the third police officer followed them with the patrol car” the source said.
The source maintained that the policemen at gunpoint , took the victim to two ATMs of Stanbic Bank at the Silver Star Towers-Airport and Okponglo where they forced him to withdraw cash sum of Ghc18,000 from his Stanbic Bank account to them.
After receiving the money, the officers released the victim, gave back his mobile phone and fled the scene in their waiting patrol vehicle,” the source said.
The source indicated that the victim, after the police officers had left him reported the matter to the Achimota Police for investigations.
Second case
The complainant who reported the second case to Kaneshie police indicated that around 2am, he was on board an Uber Vehicle from Madina to Airport when on the way, about five police officers who were armed and onboard an Operation Calm Life Police Vehicle intercepted the Uber Vehicle at UPSA road.
The victim in his report said the Police Officers accused him of being a fraudster and arrested him on the spot.
“After asking the Uber vehicle to go, the Police Officers forced me to transfer an amount of Ghc 20,000.00 into a momo account after which they abandoned me to my fate and fled the scene.
The Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Efia Tenge when contacted said the regional police command have begun investigations into the alleged robbery case involving the patrol teams.
She said DCOP Aful Boakye Yiadom, the Regional Commander ordered the Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Joseph Oppong to personally supervise the allegations which later led to the arrest of five of the said officers.
She said the Command has began serious investigations into the case and further updates would be communicated in due time.
“The command will not shield any officer who hides in the uniform to penetrate crimes against members of the community.”
By Linda Tenyah –Ayettey