Cop Interdicted Over Robber's Escape From Cell

THE Ashanti Regional Police Command, has interdicted the policeman who allegedly aided a suspected armed robber to escape from custody by giving him a hacksaw to cut the edges of the metal gate of the cell.

The suspect had initially made an attempt to cut the handcuffs.

Sergeant Victor Boame of the Mobile Force in Kumasi, allegedly demanded GH¢5,000 from the suspect, Alfred Zieme, but after negotiation, they agreed on GH¢3,500.

Zieme, popularly known as 'Kumasi Ataa Ayi', nearly escaped about two months ago, when he was being escorted by a team of policemen to look for his accomplices at Barekese but he was disabled when one of the policemen shot him in the thigh.

It was also alleged that Sergeant Boame facilitated the first escape attempt by aiding Zieme to cut the handcuffs.

Inspector Mohammed Yusif Tanko of the Police Public Affairs Unit here, confirmed the interdiction to the Times yesterday, but he would not disclose when it took effect.

Zieme, described by the police as a notorious armed robber, was arrested in November 2007 in connection with a series of robberies in and outside Kumasi.

He was said to have attacked a number of businessmen and robbed them of millions of Ghana cedis.

The police said Zieme operated in broad daylight with two AK-47 assault rifles and used a motorbike during his operations.

He shot and killed a private securityman during one of his operations at Ohwim, near Barekese.