“Upper East Region Is Not A Safe Haven For Criminals” – Police Commander

The Upper East Regional Police Command has arrested some five wanted suspected criminals from their hideout in the Bolgatanga Municipality in the Upper East Region.

The five suspects, including Rufai Umoru, 36, Otu Laryea Devis, Stephen Botey, 29, Adonbire Asampana, 24 and Muntaka Mohammed. Muntaka Mohammed is believed to be the Gang Leader and Adonbire Asampana, believed to be his wife.

They were arrested in Bolgatanga where they had come to cool off after they had allegedly attacked an Orphanage at New Ningo in the Ningo-Prampram District in the Greater Accra Region, and bolted with an unspecified amount in foreign and local currencies. They also took away mobile phones.

The suspected criminals were armed with Pistols, a Short Gun, a Hammer and Machetes at the time of the attack of the Orphanage and so succeeded in molesting the inmates and staff without any resistence before robbing them.

An initial report was made at the Prampam Police Station and with the help of technology, the Police there tried to trace the one who had tried to decode one of the iphones that were stolen from the Orphanage. After a thorough investigations it was revealed that, the person who had tried to decode the iphone had run to Bolgatanga.

The Upper East Regional Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police in Bolgatanga, with support from other Police Officers from Prampram, apprehended all the five suspects on January 7, 2018 at about 11:00 pm. A search conducted on them, revealed 3 foreign Pistols, one short gun and ammunitions, and were all retrieved from them.

The Gang Leader, Muntaka Mohammed during interrogation also mentioned other suspects; Israel Valentine Edoh, Nana Yaw also known as “Pastor” and Mike Osuji, as the persons who invited him to bring weapons to assist them to rob a Gold Dealer at Gbani, a mining community in the Talensi District in the Upper East Region.

Israel Valentine Edoh was arrested at the Kings and Queens Guest House, from where he led the Police to Musah Issah’s hide out.

According Israel Valentine Edoh, Musah Issah was the one who told him about the Gold Dealer, and the fact that, he had some Gold and huge sum of money in his possession.

Musah Issah on the other hand, mentioned Daniel Adosi also known as “Pastor Dan” as the one who introduced Israel Valentine Edo to him.

Another suspect who was also arrested by the Police in Bolgatanga in a different operation, is Aduku Wahabu Awinititi, alias “Bullet” (a Rasta man). He has been on the Police wanted list for a number of crimes he has committed at Ashaiman and its environs.

The suspects according to the Regional Police Commander will be handed to the Tema and Ashaiman Police respectively, for onward prosecution.

Meanwhile Upper East Regional Police Commander, DCOP Vincent Redeemer Dedjeo has issued a stern warning to criminals within and outside the Upper East Region, never to consider the region as a place to hide, stressing that, the region is not a safe place for criminals.

He was addressing the Media in Bolgatanga to announce the arrest of the suspected criminals.