Five policemen interdicted

The Inspector General of Police has interdicted five police officers for their alleged involvement in the stealing of three AK 47 rifles.

Three of the five, General Constables, Bawa Jalil, Isaac Tanoh and K. Domfeh all of the Police Operations Unit are currently in police custody assisting police investigations.

Briefing The Chronicle, the acting Public Relations Director, DSP Samuel Kwesi Ofori, said the three rifles were stolen on separate occa¬sions from March 27 to April 4.

According to him, on March 27, personnel from the police headquarters came for weapons for the various police duties.

He observed that one of them had used a fake name, G/Const A. Richard and a fake service number to book for the rifle adding that the person had come with Bawa who was suspected to have knowledge of the missing weapon.

"Bawa also booked for a rifle with his correct name and returned the rifle the same day while the other didn't turn up and till today, it has not been returned," the Public Relations Director stressed.

He emphasized that preliminary investigation had revealed that the name and service number used by the suspect did not exist. DSP Kwesi Ofori continued that on April 3, the same Bawa came with others to book for rifles for duty.

"At another time, one person booked with a fake service number and a fake name, G/Const K. I Boateng, together with Bawa for rifles for duty," he intimated.

He reiterated that this time around, Bawa did not return his AK 47 rifle until two days after.

He stated that on Wednesday, April 4, Bawa came with another person and again the name provided, G/Const P. K. Godwin, for booking for a rifle was later discovered to be fake adding that the person had come with Bawa together to book for their rifles.

DSP Ofori said in all the circumstances it was discovered that Bawa had booked immediately after the suspects or immediately before the suspects, meaning he was in league with the suspects.

He maintained that on one occasion, Bawa came to the office with the explanation that a car was waiting for him to go for an operation and so he needed a rifle but when he left it was discovered that he had rather brought a motorbike.

Responding to questions about the involvement of the other four interdicted officers, he noted that Tanoh and Domfeh were the people who booked the rifles for Bawa and the other suspect so the police had to arrest them to establish whether they had links with the two suspects.

He said the reason for the interdiction of the two other officers was because they were supervisors of Bawa and so the police administration wanted to find out whether the release of the rifles were in accordance with the police laws.

Mr. Ofori urged members of the public to volunteer information on any illegal act they could identify Bawa to be involved in, adding that people with information about where the missing weapons could be found should report to the Director General of Police Intelligence or the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

Source: The Chronicle