Eight persons, believed to be members of a criminal group involved in robbing travelers on the Ghana-Togo border, have been rounded up in an operation by the police at “Beat 13” at Aflao.
The suspects are, are Victor Normanyo, Adams Moses, Ahordo Kporga, Christian Azaledzi, Atatsa Darteh, Papaga Abomson, Agbeko Adamu and Kudjo Amesinu.
Seven others, yet to be named, managed to escape and are still on the run.
Mr. Fredrick Lumor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in charge of the Command, told journalists that following repeated complaints of criminal gang groups robbing travelers at Beat 13 and other entry points along the border, his command decided to act.
He said at about 3:00 am on Thursday, July 6, this year, the police team, led by himself abandoned the police vehicle at a distance, walked through the bush to Beat 13, the crime hotspot, where they took cover in the bushes to closely monitor activities of the gangs.
Mr. Lumor said shortly afterward, 15 young men came on motorbikes, quickly positioned themselves and began harassing the travelers, with his team ‘clearly seeing and hearing everything’.
He said the group shouted at the victims to surrender their valuables and monies for verification for their genuineness, identifying themselves as Police, BNI, National Security and Ghana Immigration Service personnel, during which some of them occasionally searched the bushes with flashlights for intruders.
Mr. Lumor said at about 6:00 am, his team finally swooped in and arrested the eight and impounded their motorbikes.
He said one of them, Papaga was found with some quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, and while at the station, one Kueviakoe Kankoe Lambert, an Ivorian national came to identify Kudjo Amesinu and Ahordo Kporga to have forcibly snatched an amount of CFA100,000 from him.
The police said it was clear that some Okada motor riders were links, by offering to transport unsuspecting travelers arriving in the main town to the border, only to deliver to the robbers to rob, while illegal currency dealers also point out persons carrying huge cash to the criminals.
DSP Lumor said, every effort will be undertaken to stop the activities of the criminals and appealed to the public to offer relevant information to the police to make Aflao township a safe haven for all, particularly traders who come for business in neighboring Lome.
The group will soon be put before court according to DSP Lumor.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Christopher Pappoe
