The
Central Regional Police Command has expressed worry about how the chief
of Agona Swedru in the Agona West District of the Central Region, Nana
Botwe, has resorted to the use of media platforms to tarnish the hard
worn reputation of police and public officers in the region.
According
to the police, Nana Botwe’s allegation that the police in the area were
conniving with criminals to increase crime rate, thus the need for the
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Paul Tawiah Quaye to transfer all of
them, was totally out of place.
Addressing a press conference in
Cape Coast to react to the chief’s allegation, which was published in
Daily Guide on Tuesday, August 21, 2012, the Central Regional Police
Commander, DCOP Stephen Andoh Kwofie, revealed that the police were
there to ensure peace and order in the area and not to indulge in
criminal activities with miscreants who dealt in drugs and cyber crimes.
The
police chief added that the chief was rather the one who pleaded for
bail for criminals who had been arrested by the police in the area.
He
added that the chief’s allegation was to get back at the police for
refusing to give his residence 24-hour police protection when he asked
for it sometime ago.
He added that the chief was probably infuriated by the police refusing a drink he offered them.
He
challenged Nana Botwe to come out and mention the names of the said
police personnel who had connived with criminals in the area.
He
warned that should Nana Botwe refuse to do so, he would be arrested and
charged with aiding and abetting criminals since he had on many
occasions come to the Swedru District Police to bail criminals who had
been arrested.
DCOP Andoh Kwofie added that a decision by the
police and the District Chief Executive in the area to introduce
community policing to ensure total peace was rejected by the chief,
adding that they were therefore surprised the same man turned round to
accuse the police of conniving with criminals.
He said the IGP
had not received any complaints concerning his personnel at Agona Swedru
and would therefore not transfer them unless there was evidence on the
chief’s allegation.
He however urged Nana Botwe to support the police in arresting criminals who were disturbing residents of the area.
The
acting Divisional Police Commander at Agona Swedru, ACP Owusu Donyinah,
revealed that Nana Botwe on one occasion stormed the police station and
ordered the release of some criminals who were arrested for vandalizing
a recreational center.
He added that the chief categorically
stated that if the said criminals were not released, he would sleep
there with his followers, a situation which forced the divisional
commander to release them. |
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