Ghanaian police service has arrested four people for attacking a police officer in the western region.
The four suspects have alleged extortion against the police officer involved.
The police said it has referred the case to the police professional standards bureau for investigation.
The full statement read:
On March 9, 2023, the Axim Divisional Police patrol team reported an attack on the team by a gang who seized the magazine of a Service rifle along with some mobile phones belonging to the Police officers.
Immediately after the report, an intelligence operation was launched to arrest the suspects.
On March 28, 2023, approximately three weeks into the intelligence operation, four men, Kojo Siah aka Mozey, Emmanuel Mensah aka Kofi Asamoah, Maxwell Cudjoe and Agyabu Haruna Dissawu were arrested for their alleged involvement in the attack.
A search conducted at the residence of Kwame Ato Asare Ani, the prime suspect, who is still at large, led to the recovery of three (3) pump-action shotguns. In addition, one (1) pump-action shotgun, (2) machetes, and eight (8) reloaded BB cartridges were recovered from the suspect’s unregistered Honda CRV vehicle. Other items recovered from the suspects include two (2) reloaded BB cartridges and one (1) unregistered motorcycle.
On April 1, 2023, while the investigations to arrest the remaining suspects continued, the attention of the Police was drawn to a video showing said police personnel, members of the Axim Patrol team, pleading with gang members while the gang alleges extortion by the police.
The extortion charge against the officers was referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) for investigation.
All the suspects in the reported attack on the patrol team, who had been arrested, have been brought before the courts and taken into custody. Efforts to arrest the remaining suspects continue.
