Cop Killer Grabbed

The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested Kwabena Takyi, a second-hand clothes dealer at Kasapin in the Brong-Ahafo Region, in connection with the murder of Chief Inspector Jacob Nyame of the Ashanti Regional Police Command. Kwabena Takyi, a 34-year-old native of Kwawu Nkwatia in the Eastern Region, disguised as a Rastafarian, was arrested with two foreign pistols in his possession while on his way to allegedly rob a retired footballer at Kakasunaka on Saturday August 15, 2009. Surveillance had been placed on the suspect who was on the police wanted list for several robbery cases in the country and also for jumping bail. Takyi, on the dawn of Tuesday April 14, 2009, at about 2:00am, was said to have shot and killed the 57-year-old Chief Inspector who was then in charge of the Ashanti Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at his home after which he and his gang reportedly went on a robbery expedition in the same vicinity. They allegedly attacked another house and a church, where they fired shots which injured two other persons, including a popular pastor. Takyi was earlier arrested by the Kumasi Police and handed over to National Headquarters where he was processed and arraigned before the Osu Magistrate Court but was later granted bail. He refused to appear before the court and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. According to reports, while in police custody in Accra, Takyi allegedly boasted that he would show the deceased CID boss where power lies should he come out of cells, and true to his word, the Police boss was brutally murdered on the day President Atta Mills had a press conference for his 100 days in office. Accra Regional Deputy Police Commander, ACP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, who led the operation, said Peter Korku Aziagborlu, 28, who was arrested at the Ashiaman Lorry Park on Saturday August 8, 2009 with a locally manufactured gun had said in his caution statement that the gun belonged to Takyi who was a member of his robbery gang. The group, according to the police, was on its way to snatch an Infinity 4x4 vehicle from its owner at East Legon before heading towards Kakasunaka near Afienya for another robbery operation on Saturday August 8. Their efforts were however thwarted when the police got wind of their diabolical plan and closed in on them, arresting Peter who was assumed to be the gang leader while aboard a tro-tro heading for Nima. Peter in turn led police to East Legon where Takyi was said to be waiting for the others. But on seeing the police, Takyi fled on a motorbike. On Saturday August 15, 2009 however, at about 5:00pm, the police had a tip-off that suspect Takyi was heading towards Kakasunaka where he had planned robbing a retired footballer of his 4x4 vehicle. Takyi, who was then wearing dreadlocks wig and disguised as a Rastafarian, together with one other person, met at the Kakasunaka lorry park where they were to join another car for the operation. Luck however eluded him when the police zoomed in on them and effected his arrest. According to the Regional Police Command, the suspect had been mentioned in several car snatching incidents. The suspected armed robber was further alleged to have snatched not less than 10 4x4 vehicles in this year alone. Since Takyi�s arrest, there had been several calls to the Regional Police Headquarters including the Kumasi Regional Command and the National Police Headquarters indicating suspect�s involvement in several violent robberies. The Regional Police Commander, Rose Bio Atinga, commended members of the public who had played a major role in this significant arrest. She appealed to the public to take advantage of the police reward system to give out valid information to the police to smoke out criminals from the society, in order to ensure people went about their duties in peace. She assured the public that the police was now very proactive and would not wait for the robbers to carry out their mission before zooming in on them. She indicated that their strategy now was to strike during the preparatory stages of robberies so as to avert the shedding of innocent blood. She further appealed to members of the public who might have been robbed of their 4x4 vehicles or attacked by an armed robber that had dreadlocks to call at the Regional Police Headquarters, near the Central Police Station, to be informed as to when suspect Takyi would be paraded in an identification exercise.