Man, Son Arrested For Bribery

The police have arrested a man and his son for attempting to bribe a police officer to influence the outcome of an autopsy report.

The father, Sule Abdrahim Iddrisu, 71, and his son, Awal Labaran Iddrisu, 33, were alleged to have approached the police officer at his residence on February 10, 2007, requesting him to twist the report of an autopsy on a deceased which was to be performed on February 12, 2007 at the Police Hospital Mortuary.

Twisting the findings of the autopsy would have helped the cause of the suspects for the release of three members of their family who are facing prosecution for murder.

The officer, therefore, feigned interest in the deal and charged them ¢6 million for the services to be rendered.

The suspects allegedly paid ¢2 million immediately and were asked to come to the mortuary at 4 p.m. on February 12, 2007 with the balance of ¢4 million so that the report would be issued in their favour.

Giving a background to the incident, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr K. K. Amoah, in charge of the Commercial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), said somewhere in December last year, Awal's three brothers, Masawudu Iddrisu, Yusif Iddrisu and Nasidu Salifu, complained that some of their cattle had been stolen.

He said on January 12, 2007, the family suspected three persons, namely Kwasi Boateng and two others identified only as Figo and Oyenge to have stolen the cattle.

ACP Amoah said Awal and his three brothers allegedly beat the suspected cattle thieves severely before handing them over to the police.

He said the police on seeing the condition of Kwasi Boateng and the others, asked Awal and his brothers to take the suspects to hospital before bringing them back.

Unfortunately, he said, Kwasi Boateng died even before they got to the hospital.

According to ACP Amoah, the police arrested three of Awal's brothers and charged them for murder but Awal managed to escape.

He said Masawudu, Yusif and Nasidu were currently in custody pending prosecution after the autopsy had been performed on Kwasi Boateng.

ACP Amoah said Awal in the company of his father, Sule Iddrisu, went to the residence of the police officer on February 10, 2007 to discuss the possibility of him (police officer) influencing the outcome of the auptosy to defeat the charge of murder so that those in custody would be released.

ACP Amoah said the officer immediately notified the authorities who put some men on surveillance at the mortuary.

He said Awal showed up without his father at the mortuary at 5p.m. on February 12, 2007 with the balance of ¢4 million.

He said as soon as he handed over the money to the police officer, the surveillance team arrested him.

According to ACP Amoah, the police moved in to arrest Awal's father last Thursday.

Story by Albert K. Salia