Suspected Kwabenya Police Station sniper, 4 others arrested

Five more persons, including the man believed to have shot the police officer during the attack on the Kwabenya Police Station, have been arrested.

A statement signed by the Director-General of the Ghana Police Service Public Affairs Unit, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr David Senanu Eklu, indicated that all the five suspects were arrested by the Accra Regional Police Command at Kasoa in the Central Region in the early hours of Saturday.

Their names have been given as George Sarba, 23; Kofi Seshie, 28; Theophilus Banda, 25; Elvis Owusu, 31, and George Asante, 33.

It is believed Kofi Seshie shot the policeman, Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi, who was on monitoring duty on the day of the attack.

Inspector Ashilevi died later at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

The arrest of the five persons brings to 11 the number of people nabbed by the police in connection with the case.

Those arrested last Saturday are believed to be members of the gang of gunmen who facilitated the escape of the seven inmates from the Kwabenya Police cells.

Memorial service

Meanwhile, a memorial service was held in honour of  Inspector Ashilevi who died in the attack.

The service was attended by top police and government officials, traditional leaders and other ranks from the police from all over the country.

In addition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), there were also members of the Police Management Board present at the service, including the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mrs Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah; the Director General of Police Operations, Commissioner of Police, Dr George Dampare, and the Director of Welfare, Commissioner of Police, Mr Prosper K. Ablor.

The wife of the deceased officer, Mrs Esther Kpekpena Ashilevi,  wrapped herself in a piece of black mourning cloth and shed tears during the service.

Some police personnel and other sympathisers were also seen wailing uncontrollably.

Provision

Speaking at the service, the Minister of the  interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, who represented President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, consoled the family of the deceased.

He said special provision had been made for the family which would be handed to them at an appropriate time.

Mr Dery said there were plans to ensure that every police officer who died in line of duty was accorded the same status as that of members of  the Ghana Armed Forces.

He said President Akufo-Addo's commitment to the security of the nation "remains unshakable". 

He commended the police for working hard and arresting 11 suspects in connection with the attack on the Kwabenya Police Station. He said he was optimistic that all persons involved in the case would be arrested.

Cenotaph

For his part, the IGP, Mr David Asante-Apeatu, said Inspector Ashilevi's name would be engraved in gold on the cenotaph at the Police Training School.

He said he would be remembered every year during Remembrance Day celebrations of police officers who died in line of duty.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Ishmael Ashittey, who is the Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC), led a delegation made up of members of the council to sympathise with the family of the deceased.

Prayers

Meanwhile, the Public Affairs Department of the Ghana Police Service is to hold a prayer session following the attack on the Kwabenya Police Station and the death of the policeman.

The special prayer session is scheduled for February 4, 2018 and is to be held in all police churches across the country.