Police Talk Tough: We Will Deal Ruthlessly With Kidnappers

The police administration says the recent kidnappings being recorded in the country are unknown in the criminal history of Ghana, and that it will deal ruthlessly with anyone caught involved in the criminal act.

The Greater Accra Regional Operations Commander, ACP Kwesi Fori, who gave the warning in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle yesterday, said the police are not targeting any nationality, and that they will enforce the law to make sure that law-abiding Ghanaians go about their daily work without entertaining any fears.

According to him, they have so far rescued two kidnapped Ghanaians, with the court jailing one of the kidnappers – Isaac Aigbona, 36 years.

ACP Kwesi Fori told The Chronicle that they are also going to charge the convict for murder and put him before court, since one of the people he and his accomplices attacked in a house at Achimota, a suburb of Accra, had passed on to glory.

The Greater Accra Regional Operations Commander also told The Chronicle that the police are closing in on the kidnappers who kidnapped the 61-year-old Lebanese Consular General and Head of Mission of Estonia to Ghana, Nabil Makram Basbous, at Labone, in Accra, this week.  Nabil Makram Basbous was jogging on the streets of the high class residential area when he was ordered at gunpoint to enter a Hyundai saloon car with registration number GE 8922 –17, or be shot.

When he obeyed the orders, he was driven to Lashibi, a suburb of Tema, where he was kept until the police moved in to rescue him.

According to ACP Kwesi Fori, the police have so far not made any arrest in connection with this case, but they have managed to secure the name of the owner of the white saloon car used in kidnapping the Lebanese.

He gave the name of the suspect as Chuhwuyem Joseph Omorojie, and appealed to the general public to assist his outfit in arresting the suspect, whose picture has been splashed at the front page of The Chronicle today.

The former national spokesperson for the police further told this reporter that when the saloon car of suspect Omorojie was searched, after he (suspect) abandoned it, scaled over the fence wall of his rented house and escaped, a revolver was found in it. He said both the weapon and car have been seized, as the police intensify investigations into the case.

The police boss also revealed that his outfit would now begin to arrest and prosecute landlords who harbour kidnappers and other criminals in their houses.

He said, any room or rooms occupied by unreasonable number of people should arouse the interest of landlords to find out the work they do and report them to the police, if they suspect them to be criminals.

According to him, it is advisable for landlords to secure photographs of people renting their apartments to aid in investigations, in case the person or persons are found to be criminals.

He warned that any landlord who fails to do this to assist the police in preventing and fighting crime will be dealt with according to law, if criminals are found in their houses.

Kwesi Fori assured the public that the police have the capacity and the resilience to deal with the emerging crime, and called for support by way of giving them (police) relevant information .

He also called on Ghanaians not to panic, but go about their work in a relaxed atmosphere, and that the police are in control over the crime situation in the country.

He advised the public to call police emergency numbers – 18555, 191, 0302773906 for assistance, in case they come under attack by criminals.