The police gave the names of the suspects as Sumana Gariba, 25, a Nigerien, and Alhassan Mukaila, 22, a Malian.

They were arrested separately in the night and at dawn respectively on February 12, 2015 by the Afienya District Police Command. 

 

Community collaboration  

Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Dodowa District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr Kwesi Ofori, said the suspects were arrested through the collaboration of the public.

 

He said Gariba was arrested  at Afienya with ECG underground cables, known as armoured cables, worth millions of Ghana cedis.

 

Residents, he said, saw the suspect cutting the long armoured cables which had been laid by some ECG workers, into smaller pieces and putting them on a motorbike. Being suspicious, they immediately alerted the police patrol team, resulting in the arrest of Gariba.

 

The second suspect, Mr Ofori said, was found at Mobole, near Afienya, loading high-tension cables into a tricycle.

 

While some residents were beating the suspect, others alerted the Afienya Police Patrol Team whose timely intervention saved the suspect from being lynched.

 

Later, the local ECG officials were invited by the Afienya Police and they confirmed that the cables were for the company.

 

Fighting cable theft 

Mr Ofori said the two suspects had been charged with stealing, adding that "it is a criminal act and sabotage. We are collaborating with the ECG to fight the issue of cable theft in this area.”

 

He urged the public to report any person seen with such cables or attempting to sell high tension cables.