15 Arrested Over Cop Murder

The police have apprehended 15 suspects, including a woman for the alleged killing of Constable Daniel Owusu at Abeka Lapaz last Thursday afternoon.

The suspects include six Nigerians and nine Ghanaians, and they were apprehended in their various hideouts at Ablekuma, Olebu and Kasoa.

The suspects are Ken Ikponnwosa, 23, Faith Ogieriakhi, 35, Fem Erhuumwunse, 20, Michael Ogbegia, 20, Sampson Aja, 27, Emmanuel Aimiu, 31, and Kwasi Nyarko 33.

The rest are Raphael Nii Lartey Coffie, 37, Asara Frederick 35, Mark Enchil, 31, Kwadwo Afari, 32, Kwabena Gyasi, 20, Aboudo Mohammed, Sinize Ziba and Charity Otuboah, 27.

An unregistered Hyundai Elantra, an unregistered Royal motorbike and four empty shells were some of the exhibits retrieved from suspects upon their arrest.

Constable Daniel Owusu of the Tesano Community Policing Unit was on motorbike patrols with two other personnel when two armed men believed to be armed robbers shot him.

Another policeman identified as Alhassan Jibril, who also received gunshot wounds, is at the Police Hospital receiving treatment.

Briefing the media about the arrest, the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Osaberima Oware Asare Pinkro III, said following the attack and killing of the police personnel at Abeka Lapaz, last Thursday afternoon, the police, acting upon a tip-off, arrested six Nigerians at Olebu, seven others at Ablekuma while the other three were also grabbed at Kasoa.

The unregistered vehicle, suspected to be the one snatched from its driver on that fateful day by the robbers, was recovered from the Nigerians together with the unregistered motor bike.

The other exhibits were later recovered from the others.

The suspects are being kept to assist police in investigations.

Meanwhile, information gathered by the paper indicated that the suspects were part of a robbery gang that attacked the police officers.

Information gathered indicates that the suspects deliberately shot the officers and it was not in connection with any robbery attack as speculated.

“The suspected armed robbers and the three Community Police Personnel were part of others who stopped at the Abeka Lapaz traffic light when the light turned red.

Immediately the lights turned green, they moved as usual but the two other personnel had to stop for some pedestrians who had crossed their bike to cross, thus making them delay in catching up with Constable Daniel, who had taken the lead.

The suspected armed robbers, who spotted the policeman near them shot at him three times.”

According to information, Alhassan Jibril rode faster in an attempt to save his colleague but he was also shot.

In the full glare of traders and other travelers, the armed men were said to have abandoned their motorbike, snatched a metallic ash Hyundai Sonata car from its driver and sped off towards Awoshie, Mallam Junction direction.

Witnesses claimed traders and drivers, who could do nothing to save the situation, had to run for their lives.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey