CID Plans Cyber Intelligence Lab

Plans are underway by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to establish a Cyber Intelligence Laboratory to monitor criminals who use the cyber space to commit crime.

The Director in-charge of the Cyber Crime Unit, Chief Superintendent Dr Gustav Herbert Yankson, said criminals who use the cyber space have devised a strategy to share information.

“There is the need for the police to also establish a Cyber Intelligence Laboratory to counter their activities.

He made this known when Ashacell Limited, a telecommunication company based in Kumasi donated some computers, photo copier machine, desks and chairs to the CID towards the establishment of the Cyber Intelligence Laboratory.

The items were presented by Jerry Otchi, Head of Corporate Affairs as part of the company's corporate social responsibility.

Dr Yankson stressed the need for the Cyber Crime Unit to be well-equipped to enable it sustain the cyber echo system.

“As a result, we also need to be in the chat rooms, monitor social media network, and counter intelligence to fight the criminals using the cyber space to conduct their nefarious activities.”

He said the criminals, who have formed a network, are drifting from the use of social engineering and are now using malicious software for their activities.

Dr Yankson called on the CID to work hard in order to effectively fight crime.

He called on organizations to provide the CID with equipment that would help them in their activities since crime prevention is a shared responsibility.

The Deputy Director General in-charge of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo Dankwah, who received the items, thanked Ashcell for the donation.

Cyber crime has come to stay and most of the  issues are so technical that the police alone cannot handle them and would need support.

“Currently, we have only one cyber crime unit based at the headquarters serving the whole nation and we need individual support to establish more units.”

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By Linda Tenyah- Ayettey