POLICE OFFICERS from the Inspectorate Unit of the Ghana Police Service on Tuesday afternoon arrested five police officers of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) for illegally extorting money and taking bribes from drivers who ply the Koforidua to Kukurantumi road.
The MTTU personnel upon seeing the vehicle of the Inspectorate Unit threw the monies they had collected from motorists into a nearby bush, but lack eluded them when the wind scattered the monies in the full glare of officers from the Inspectorate Unit who were close to the scene.
The officers from the Inspectorate division took pictures of the bribe monies collected by the MTTU personnel and subsequently dragged them to the Jumapo Police station to write their statements.
The situation attracted many residents of the area who trooped to the scene to catch a glimpse of what was happening.
Names of the suspects were not yet known, but an eyewitness mentioned one Nartey as part of the suspects. Eyewitnesses told the Daily Heritage that the incident occurred at around 1:30 pm on Tuesday.
According to the eyewitnesses, officers from the Inspectorate Unit arrived at the scene hours after the MTTU personnel had come on the road.
They explained that four officers from the inspectorate division were in a branded police vehicle together with a Pick Up vehicle believed to be from the Criminal Investigations Department which was following them.
The eyewitnesses said the team apparently appeared unexpected at the police barrier where the suspected MTTU personnel were undertaking their illegal activities.
They told the paper that the MTTU personnel pleaded to be forgiven when caught, but their plea was rejected and they were sent to the Jumapo Police station to write their statements after which there were sent to the regional police headquarters.
The police are tight-lipped on the matter even though deep throat sources from the Eastern regional MTTU have confirmed the story, adding that the suspected personnel have been handed over to the Police Professional and Intelligent Unit and have been asked to vacate their post until further notice.
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