<<Print>>

SOME RESIDENTS of Akpeteshie Camp, a community at Awutu Bawjiase in the Awutu Senya district of the Central Region have petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to call his men to order to restore peace and sanity in the area. The residents have also appealed to Paul Tawiah Quaye to investigate alleged cases of extortion by police personnel in the area and if possible sanction those found guilty or relocate them. They say they no longer feel secure with the police in the area who are supposed to protect them but have rather become a threat to their lives. This was disclosed Monday at Bawjiase when the Agona Swedru Police Command interacted with the residents to find out ways of collaborating with them to fight crime in the area. The residents said police officers in the area had allegedly turned Bawjiase and its neighboring communities into a �World Bank� where they demand monies from drivers who cross their territory. They also accused the police of allegedly collaborating with some unscrupulous people in the area to rob unsuspecting residents. �We say this without fear or contradiction that police personnel in Bawjiase are solidly behind most criminal activities that normally occur in our various communities. Most at times when thieves are caught, they are sent to them but they allow them to go free without prosecuting them thereby increasing robbery cases and other criminal activities in the area,� they added. �We are now sitting on a time bomb. Our lives are in danger and we would like to appeal to the police authority and government to come to our aid to save us before the unforeseen occurs.� The police team led by Acting District Commander of Police, ASP D.H Nurgah, appealed to the residents not to lose confidence in the police adding that plans are underway for more policemen to be transferred to the area to help fight crime. On his part, the Chief of Awutu Bawjiase, Neenyi Kweku Osardu II, also expressed worry over the poor performance of police personnel posted to the area. He said some policemen have been collecting between GH�50.00 and GH�200.00 from families of suspected criminals before bails are granted them. �There will come a time when people will come to my house for money to be able to bail their relatives because they do not have money,� he stated. He therefore charged the district commander to determine whether it is lawful to pay monies to the police before bails are granted. The residents further appealed to the police authorities to increase the number of personnel in the area since the town is growing at a fast pace. ASP Nurgah assured them that the police administration was going to investigate the allegations, promising that those found guilty of the offences raised would be brought to book.