Minister's driver, friend turn suspects in 'missing' state vehicle

The police in the Savannah Region have arrested two persons in connection with the missing Toyota Hilux pick-up vehicle, belonging to the newly created Savannah Regional Coordinating Council.

The two, Alhaji Suleimana Illiasu, who is a complainant in the case but has now turned a suspect and Opoku Kwadjo Evans, a driver, have been arrested by the police because, their statements are "inconsistent," according to the police.

The statements, given by the two to the police, “do not add up and not very clear,” the Police Public Relations Officer of the Northern Region, who is also in charge of Savannah, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Mohammed Yusif Tanko told Graphic Online on Wednesday.

He said the two suspects were arrested on Tuesday, July 16, 2019 and are in custody.

What happened

One of the new vehicles President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently handed over to the newly created Savannah Region is said to have been stolen by armed robbers last week.

The police consequently initiated investigations to find the missing 4×4 pick-up vehicle belonging to the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council (SRCC).

The police were told by the complainant, Alhaji Suleimana Illiasu that the armed robbers snatched it at gunpoint.

The vehicle according to Alhaji Suleimana Illiasu was parked at his residence at Tamale.

Alhaji Illiasu is a friend to the Savannah Regional Minister, Mr. Salifu Adam Braimah and so the Minister is said to have through the driver, Opoku Kwadjo Evans gone to park the vehicle in Alhaji Illiasu's house whilst he [Minister] travelled out of town for a meeting.

According to Alhaji Illiasu in his initial complaint statement to the police, the Minister who was travelling left the vehicle in his care which he parked in his house.

DSP Tanko said he [Alhaji Illiasu] was in his house around 9 pm on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, when armed robbers attacked him at gunpoint and demanded the keys to the vehicle.

He said he gave the robbers the keys and they grabbed him into the vehicle and drove off to a distance of about 20 kilometres away from his house, dropped him and fled with the vehicle.

When Graphic Online contacted the Savannah Regional Minister, Mr. Salifu Adam Braimah, last week he said the matter was with the police and declined to comment except to say the police were investigating.

New twist

On Wednesday July 17, 2019, DSP Tanko told Graphic Online that the two Alhaji Suleimana Illiasu, who is a complainant in the case but has now turned a suspect and Opoku Kwadjo Evans, the driver who the Minister sent to go and park the vehicle, have been arrested as suspects because their statements to the police "do not add up."