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Traditional Leaders in the country have been urged not to arbitrate rape cases that occur within their communities in the palaces since it is unlawful to do so. Sounding the caution, DCOP Kofi Boakye, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, said rape cases could only be settled in the law courts therefore nobody should try to settle such cases outside the court. Speaking at the opening of a police station at Kenyasi near Kumasi, the police capo admonished the public to report all rape cases to the police to also process them to court. He stated that �It is even unlawful for the police to settle rape cases at their various police stations,� stressing that rape is a criminal offence and so the public should see it as such. According to him, anyone who tries to cover up rape cases or try to settle such cases outside the court room does so at their own risk, since they could end up having issue with the law when detected. DCOP Kofi Boakye also sternly cautioned top people in society, including traditional leaders, not to interfere with police investigations into rape cases and other criminal offences. He also charged the public to expose criminals that live with them so that the police would apprehend and process them to court before they pounce on innocent people. DCOP Kofi Boakye, who spoke on a range of issues, also charged the police to be fair to all manner of people, stressing that the law doesn�t have special preference for the rich. The police chief strongly cautioned activists of political parties not to break the law. �Whether you are a foot soldier or party chairman, you will be arrested if you break the law,� he warned. DCOP Kofi Boakye disclosed that crime in the Ashanti Region had reduced significantly within the past six months, hoping that the successes that had been chalked would not get into the heads of police personnel.