Nine persons, including the chairman of the Trobu Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Kwame Ofosu Adjei, have been arrested by the police for allegedly taking over toll collection in some state facilities in Accra.
While Adjei, 48, was arrested for allegedly attempting to take over a tollbooth at Pobiman on the Accra-Nsawam highway and attacking a police officer, five other suspects were arrested for preventing revenue collectors of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) from issuing toll tickets to traders at Makola Market and CMB in Accra.
The five suspects, all scrap dealers, were identified as Musah Mulip, 25; Sahaku Sulemana, 24; Abdulai Mohammed, 41; Adam Mahama, 39 and Sulemana Issahaku, 32.
Three other suspects were arrested by the Nima Divisional Police Command for their alleged attempt to take over three public toilet facilities within Maamobi in Accra. Although the police did not provide their names, they were said to have been prevented from their illegal actions.
Arrests
Briefing journalists, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Accra Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mrs Afia Tenge, said Adjei was alleged to have visited the Pobiman tollboth with some NPP supporters and demanded to see the supervisor, Ms Emelia Ocloo, but was prevented by a police officer on duty there.
According to the PRO, Adjei attacked the policeman who tried to prevent him from forcing his way into a safety room, a development that led to the policeman calling for reinforcement from the Amasaman Divisional Police Command.
In the case of the five suspects, she said at about 10:30 a.m last Thursday, January 12, 2017, the police had information they had prevented revenue collectors of the AMA from issuing toll tickets to traders at the CMB area and Makola Market. They allegedly seized toll tickets, assaulted the AMA revenue collectors and forcibly took away cash of GH¢ 2,000 from them.
But for the quick intervention of the Nima Divisional Police Command on January 11, 2017, the officer said, three other persons claiming to be supporters of a political party would have taken over three public toilet facilities within Maamobi.
Prosecution
ASP Tenge said all the suspects arrested would be put before court. “The Regional Police Command is condemning the lawlessness and vandalism being perpetrated and will treat such persons as criminals,” she stated. She cautioned the public that the Accra Regional Command would “not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any individual or group of persons who attack and seize private and state assets”.
According to the officer, the regional police command had directed that any form of grievance, dispute or misunderstanding surrounding ownership of such facilities should be resolved in the law courts.
She said the regional police command had also provided adequate security for sensitive installations within the metropolis.
Background
Since the change of government, there has been a number of attempts by some alleged NPP supporters to seize tollbooths and some other state installations.
The party supporters who claimed their government was in power and, therefore, deserved to take control of certain state assets, explained that they were retaliating similar acts visited on them by supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) when they (NDC) gained power in 2009. Although some leaders of the NPP have condemned the actions of their supporters, some of their supporters are still engaged in the illegal acts.
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