5 arrested for land guard acts, soldier, chief involved

Five persons including a chief and a soldier have been arrested in the Eastern Region for their alleged involvement in land guard activities.

Also suspected to be involved in robbery activities, the suspects were arrested by the National Operation Department of the Ghana Police Service.

They included Sergeant Isaac Asare of the Ghana Air Force who is believed to be a supplier of arms and ammunition to the gang, and Nana Baah, alias Haruna, said to be a sub chief of Kyebi Apapam and the sponsor of the gang.

The rest are Phillip Kwadwo Larbi,42, Abass Baah, 36, and Edward Kwafo, 35.

Arrest

Briefing journalists on the arrest, the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent of Police Mrs Sheilla Kesse Abayie-Buckman, said based on intelligence, the suspects were arrested on April 27 and 28, 2021 at various locations.

She said Larbi was picked up on April 27, 2021 after the police traced the group to their hideout in an uncompleted building at Ntoaso, a suburb of Nsawam.

At Ntoaso, she said Larbi and eight other suspects who were all armed, engaged the police team in a shootout, leading to the injury of four of the suspects while four others escaped.

The four injured suspects were taken to the police hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.

Larbi, the police spokeswoman said, also attempted to escape but luck eluded him, as he was arrested a few metres away from the scene.

Sgt Asare, Abass and Kwafo were also arrested at Kyebi the same day.

Supt Abayie-Buckman said Nana Baah was arrested at the CID Headquarters on April 28, 2021, when he was sighted by some investigators.

Items

Following the arrest of the suspects, Supt. Abayie-Buckman said the police retrieved items including three pistols each loaded with ammunition, as well as loaded magazines, machetes, pepper spray, binoculars, a dagger and motorbikes from their hideout.

Also, an Infinity four-wheel vehicle with registration number GCE 598-19 believed to be owned by Nana Baah and driven by Sgt Asare at the time of arrest has been impounded.

Supt Abayie-Buckman appealed to the public, especially health facilities and herbalists in and around Nsawam and Kyebi, to be on the lookout for persons with gunshot wounds who might approach them for treatment.

She said the injured persons who were believed to be heavily armed posed a great danger to anyone who offered to help them and members of the public.

"Such suspicious characters should be reported to the nearest police station, while persons with credible information are also encouraged to call the police on toll free numbers 18555, 191 or 112."