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24.12.2007 Crime & Punishment

Ksi’s Most Wanted Arrested

24.12.2007 LISTEN
By Daily Guide

A SERIES OF well-networked operations embarked upon by the Ashanti Regional Police Command have resulted in the arrest of a number of Kumasi's most hardened criminals.

The alleged criminals, suspected to be behind the frequent armed robbery cases in the Region had been on the wanted list of the police for some time now.

With the arrest of these suspects including Kwame Ayew aka Red, 27, who admitted having embarked on 13 different robbery operations in Kumasi recently, and Egya Osei aka Osei Wayo, 46, an alleged architect of a syndicate, specialised in snatching Opel cars in the city, relative peace would be restored in the city.

Nonetheless, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCoP) Frank Adu-Poku has assured residents that his command would not be complacent with this breakthrough, but would intensify its efforts to flush out other criminals giving people sleepless nights in the region.

He dismissed reports in sections of the media that armed robbers were on rampage in Kumasi, warning that the killing of the late Mr. Samuel Ennin, former Ashanti Regional chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) should be used as a yardstick to measure the effectiveness of the police in the region.

Although he would not want to comment on the outcome of investigations made so far in Ennin's case, the police chief said the security agencies were not resting at all, and were firmly on the ground, using all technicalities to the best of their ability to ensure that the suspects were apprehended.

Briefing journalists yesterday about the arrest of a number of suspected criminals, DCoP Adu-Poku said Kwame Ayew was apprehended in Gbilensa, a community three miles away from Sandema in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region, where he had gone to escape arrest.

According to him, Ayew fled from Adukro near Boaman on the Offinso road to the northern part of the country, obviously for a safe haven, when his brother-in-law, Peter Kanjanga, 32, a labourer with the Police Striking Force Unit informed him that the police were after him.

Being 'mad' with this development, Mr. Adu-Poku threatened he would ensure that Peter was dismissed from the police service and made to face the full rigours of the law to serve as a deterrent.

The commander was incensed on the fact that Ayew was a hardened suspected armed robber who had been engaged in over 13 robberies with sophisticated weapons and heavy door-breaking implements, including Pump Action guns.

The suspect was said to have participated in a number of robberies; three at Buokrom Estate, one at Kenyasi, two at Sepe-Doti, Duasi, Ashh FM and TUC, all in the Kumasi metropolis.

He told journalists that a search conducted on Ayew and in his room in Sandema uncovered three pump action guns, 24 live ammunitions, three masks, four laptops, two cameras, one cell phone, two car jacks, two assorted TV sets, two speakers and other items believed to be stolen from people robbed.

The police retrieved as well, a Honda motor bike with registration number AS 2659 V, and a VW Golf car with registration number GR 8069 Q.

Ayew was said to have told the police that he was introduced into armed robbery by one Salifu of Offinso, and when he gained grounds, he also recruited others into his camp, specializing in car snatching and using those cars to rob.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti Police boss has declared Sherrif Dwenewoho, Baba O.B.A and one Joshua wanted as well.

On the arrest of Osei Wayo, a noble-looking car dealer at the Kumasi Airport roundabout, DCoP Adu-Poku said he operated with two others who would rob taxi drivers of Opel cars at gun point.

He disclosed that Wayo's 'boys', Kwame Poku aka Brutal and Kwadwo Owusu aka T.K., both ex-convicts, were arrested a couple of months back and in prison custody.

He said while one of his 'boys', usually Poku, hired a taxi cab, precisely an Opel Astra Caravan, Owusu, and another who was at large, would be hiding in a nearby bush known to other accomplices at the regional administration or the Kumasi officers' mess area, whereupon they would rob the driver of his car.

According to the commander, when the two robbers succeed in snatching the car Wayo would purchase them at cheap prices, re-spray them and offer them for sale.

Mr. Adu-Poku dropped the hint that Wayo and his 'boys' admitted having robbed 5 drivers of their Opel taxi cabs.

The Ashanti police chief warned members of the public to be security-conscious and observant about the cars they board at a particular point in time.

He as well briefed the media about the arrest of other suspected criminals involved in armed robbery and car snatching.

From James Quansah, Kumasi

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