Ghana: Two Constables arrested For Extortion

The two policemen, who allegedly mounted an unauthorized checkpoint and extorted money from various drivers, have been dragged before an Accra circuit court. They are General Constables Azumah Musah and Faati Jacob Tinob. Although both of them are constables, Azumah was seen in a police Inspector’s uniform. Charges According to the prosecution led by Chief Inspector Ofori Amanfo, the two on February 18, this year at Tabora, a suburb of Accra, extorted cash by means of threat from unsuspecting drivers to the tune of GH¢247.00. Azumah is facing two other counts of possessing military uniforms and firearms without lawful authority.

The two cops, who appeared before trial judge Aboagye Tandoh, variously denied the charges and were remanded into police custody until March 2, 2016. This was after the court had rejected the application for bail by Daniel Osei, lawyer for Tinob. He said his client was not in the position to interfere with further investigations of the police. Mr Osei stated that the prosecution’s own fact shows that there is no case against his client especially where there is no known complainant in respect of the extortion.

 However, the judge said he would consider the application for bail at the next adjourned date. Prosecuting, Chief Insp. Amanfo said the complainants are personnel from the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS) Bureau. He said Azumah was formerly stationed at the National Police Department Headquarters in Accra whilst Tinob is currently at the National Police Patrol Department.

 C/Insp. Amanfo stated that Azumah was in December last year transferred to Apirade in the Eastern Region and that on February 18, at about 7:30 pm at Tabora junction in Accra, a police team from PIPS arrested the accused persons for professional misconduct. He said Azumah, who was arrested in an inspector’s uniform, attempted to escape, adding that a search conducted in the respective rooms of the two revealed nothing incriminating against Tinob.

The senior police officer stated that in the case of Azumah, a single barrel gun, one unserviceable locally made pistol, two rubber toy pistols, four bullet-proof vests, a photocopy of driver’s licence belonging to one Emmanuel K. Kumi, a temporary driver’s licence belonging to Sappor James, a police camouflage with inspectors’ lanyard as well as military camouflage among others, were found.

The prosecutor said that when Azumah was questioned about the source of the items, he asserted that the pistol and the single barrel gun were given to him for keeping by his ailing father at Asaam in the Ashanti Region. C/Insp. Amanfo further told the court that the accused claimed that he found the military uniform in a tent at the Police Training School in Accra but he did not report to the authority, insisting that he bought some of the military accoutrements from the Kwame Nkruman Circle and Nyamekye, all in Accra, but did not give any reasons for buying them.