Brong Ahafo Police Commander removed

There are reports that the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander has been re-called to the Police Headquarters in Accra. Joy News sources at the headquarters say his recall followed a directive from the Inspector General of Police (IGP). No reasons have been assigned yet but it’s being speculated his recall is connected to his handling of the conflict between the chiefs of Tuobodom and Techiman. When Joy News reached DCOP Seth Oteng for comment he dismissed the reports of his recall explaining he hadn’t received any directive from the IGP. Two days ago the Ashantehene Otumfuor Osei Tutu the second called for the removal the police commander and the regional minister for what he called their unprofessional handling of the incident. But the regional commander insists he has not been removed. In a separate development the Brong Ahafo Regional Crime Officer of the Ghana Police Service is said to have been transferred to Northern Regional town of Yendi. The report cannot be immediately independently confirmed but it is believed to be connected to the Asanteman-Bonoman feud. Reports Thursday said the regional Police Commander, DCOP Seth Oteng, had earlier been re-called to the Police Headquarters in Accra. But DCOP Seth Oteng has denied the reports. Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

IGP orders interdiction of three policemen

Paul Tawiah Quaye, Inspector General of Police The Inspector General of Police, Paul Tawiah Quaye, has ordered the immediate interdiction and prosecution of some three policemen in the Central Region for extorting money and illegally supervising the burial of a murdered farmer. The middle-aged cocoa farmer who was identified only as Fofo was found murdered on his farm near Assin Fosu with parts of his body including his genitals removed. According to the Central Regional Police Commander DCOP Akayiri Kampara, the case was reported to the officers made up of an inspector, a lance corporal and a corporal who were on duty. The three men upon reaching the farm, decided to extort GH¢300 from one of suspects who was present and allowed the body to be buried without any investigation. DCOP Kampara said the three policemen had pleaded innocent and had insisted the money was only a gift from the informants. “But we are wondering how that could be a gift,” DCOP Kampara said, adding, the three men failed to make an entry in the police diary on the case. He said authorities are currently preparing charges against the officers while the body of the deceased will be exhumed for post-mortem examination. Whilst the supervision of the burial will be treated based on police laws, the case of extortion will be handled as a criminal case, the police commander said. “We have prepared the charges for them to be tried by way of service enquiry. The legal officer is also preparing other charges for them to go to court,” he said. Story by Seth Kwame Boateng and Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

IGP launches Image cleansing strategy

IGP Paul Quaye Inspector General of Police Paul Tawiah Quaye has launched a new strategy aimed at building a new image for the police administration. Christened “Image cleansing strategy” the IGP said the police will from hence weed out miscreants whose conducts cast the entire police administration in a bad light. “It is a matter of pride, however for me to say that the service has within its ranks a large number of personnel with impeccable moral character and whose sterling professional qualities and background are comparable with the best in other institutions in the country. “It is regrettable that the unacceptable behaviour of the handful of our personnel have given causes for the public to have negative perception that the average police man is of a mediocre calibre and an under achiever with no moral strength of character,” Paul Quaye lamented at a meeting of regional police commanders in Accra on Friday. He noted the time is ripe to sever that negative perception and to project the image of the institution. Outlining the image redemption strategies, Mr Quaye noted the police will embark on a “problem solving policing approaches”. Among other things,“we want every person who walks into a police station or an office with a problem to receive the best service available,” he said. He also warned that officials whose acts or conducts derail the process will be dealt with severely. “Listen here carefully, I must warn members who exhibit tendencies of non-compliance with directives relative to the image improvement strategies, because they are going to have themselves to blame.” The Vice-president and chairman of the police council, John Dramani Mahama, who was part of the meeting said the government is determined to make the police administration as neutral as possible. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana