Police Grab 26 Criminals•In Ho

Ghana Police Less than four weeks after taking over as the Volta Regional Police Commander, Rose Bio Atinga, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), has led her men in an operation to clamp down on criminals in Ho.

The operation, which was to help reduce crime in the region, took place in the early hours of Wednesday and resulted in the arrest of 26 suspected criminals in various hideouts.

Various offences such as unlawful possession of marijuana, obstruction and other offensive acts have been established against 14, while the rest were still in the process of being screened after which they would be arraigned.

Those arrested were between the ages of 15 and 34 and were believed to be the masterminds behind various crimes within the municipality such as the snatching of mobile phones and unlawful entry into people's houses.

Speaking exclusively to DAILY GUID E in Ho on Wednesday, DCOP Atinga said the intention of the operation was to flush out criminals who are making life unbearable for law-abiding citizens.

She noted that in the light of these crimes, her outfit had found it prudent to embark on such operations, adding that similar exercises would be carried out in other parts of the region “until crime is reduced significantly.”

This is the second operation in the region since the new Regional Commander of Police took over from DCOP Bernard Guyiri Dery about a month ago.

Two weeks ago, the Regional Command performed a similar operation at Aflao, where 24 suspected criminals were arrested and screened. Four of them were charged with unlawful possession of narcotics; nine of them are currently in police custody and others had been released on police enquiry bail.

Some Ho residents who spoke with this paper expressed satisfaction about the operations.  

They noted that recently, activities of criminals had increased in the municipality, especially in areas such as Anlo Kodzi, Wotoe near the Ho Polytechnic, Kpako, Asanyame and many more.

They alleged that such activities were so alarming that some of these areas have become places where young ladies are rampantly raped without fear.

They appealed to DCOP Atinga to ensure that the operation did not become a nine-day wonder, and assured her of their support in making the municipality crime-free.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Volta Regional Crime Officer, ASP Sampson Kofi Agbeko has appealed to residents to assist with timely and relevant information to enable the police reduce crime in the region.

From Wise Donkor, Ho