A Techiman-based businessman, Kwadwo Adjei, has petitioned the Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Command to institute an independent investigation into what he described as “unprofessional and corruptible conduct” of some senior police officers at the Techiman District Police Station.
According to Mr Kwadwo Adjei, a dealer in motorbikes and leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the Techiman municipality, the conduct of the senior officers had diminished public trust and confidence in the Police Service in the municipality.
The two-paged petition addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Maxwell Atingane, Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Commander, recommended the immediate transfer of the station master, the crime officer and two other officers at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the station.
Though a copy of the petition, sighted by DAILY GUIDE, did not provide the names of the station officer and the crime officer, it mentioned the names of the two CID officers as Sergeant Appiah and Emmanuel Kokovela.
The petition alleged that the above senior officers had connived with two civilians as and using them as “baits” to arrest and extort millions of Ghana cedis from suspected cocaine and marijuana (wee) peddlers in the municipality.
Mr Kwadwo Adjei alleged, “Information from civilians indicate that the station master and the crime officer of the above-mentioned police station arrested a blue private car carrying quantities of suspected marijuana at the Wa station at Techiman and extorted GH¢5,000 from the suspect……”
According to him, police officers raid cocaine and marijuana joints in the municipality and arrest some drug suspects but they are not prosecuted; instead the officers extort thousands of Ghana cedis from the suspects and allow them to go.
These and other several instances, according to the petitioner, are exposing the Police Service in the municipality to public ridicule and disrepute hence, his appeal to the regional command to investigate the matter with immediate effect.
The petitioner is worried that there are increased criminal activities in the municipality and so asked the regional police command to act swiftly to bring the situation under control.
The Brong-Ahafo Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Christopher Tawiah, told DAILY GUIDE that the command had received the petition, adding that the issues had already been referred to the regional crime officer to commence investigations into them.
According to him, as part of the process, those Mr. Adjei specifically mentioned in the petition had been invited to write statements.
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