The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested the Assemblyman for the Koblimahagu electoral area, Mohammed Ahmed Babamu for allegedly obstructing the work of police officers.
The Northern Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Baba Ananga who confirmed his arrest, said the assemblyman instead of supporting the police to apprehend the perpetrators of last Wednesday’s attack on NEDCo/VRA staff at his electoral area, rather threatened the police and obstructed the investigations, and mobilized community members to attack the police when they went to arrest the suspect.
The police personnel visited Koblimahagu community on Thursday to carry out an investigation with regard to the attack and assault of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company NEDCo/VRA staff on Tuesdays 8th March, 2022.
However, the Northern Regional Crime Officer in an interaction with the media, said his outfit had received a complaint from the management of Volta River Authority (VRA) about an attack and assault of their staff hence, the police took the matter for investigations, “and during the investigations we identified one suspect, and this suspect also reside at Koblimahagu and we suspect he’s the one who did the assault”.
Superintendent Ananga further explained that, “this morning we went ahead we identified the particular place of abode of the suspect. We were at the place in attempt to go in to a room to arrest the suspect, and the Assemblyman appeared with a group of people numbering over twenty threatening our policer officers. And, this assemblyman there, threatened our investigator and our policemen who were there to arrest this suspect. By so doing, as police, we are not there to compound the situation. So, we decided to simply withdraw”.
He said his outfit later invited the assemblyman for questioning after the withdrawal of his men, “and after the interrogation it is clear that the assemblyman is shielding the suspect. He is not allowing the police to arrest that particular suspect. He is an honorable man. We have no problem but if he threatens, prevent and obstruct us from doing our work, he will be the arrested”, he stated.
Meanwhile, some residents of the Komblimahagu community, while expressing their displeasure about the arrest of their assemblyman, also dispute the assertions made by the police command.
Kareem Abdul Rahaman popularly known as ‘Kpalaa’, who spoke on behalf of the community members however, described the actions of the police as unprofessional, barbaric, immoral and unacceptable to the standards of policing in the country and said it must be condemned.
“This afternoon, a team of police men came to our community Koblimahagu. And their motive was to search a room that some guys who have been staying there had confusion with the VRA staff. Having appeared to search the room, the assemblyman for the area asked the police whether they had a search warrant and the police said they didn’t have a search warrant. Then the assemblyman indicated that without a search warrant, the room is locked. We cannot allow you to break through the room – so go and comeback with a search warrant”.
He further indicated that,
“mind you, the area has been in darkness for the past ten days – so it has raised a lot of concerns and as and when strange face appears in the community, everybody comes around. So when the community members saw the policemen, they came around and the assemblyman said no, you can’t search without a warrant, then the community members supported the idea; and then I was there when the assemblyman called me that he has been invited at the regional CID Unit.
“I went with him and his biological brother and Alhaji Baba Jamoni. And when we got here they even allowed us to sit for a period of 10 to 15mins before they made us go to the office of the regional commander. VRA officers were invited before we finally saw the assemblyman handcuffed with a team of policemen carrying their rifles behind him, dragging him like a criminal, like somebody who has murdered another person. And when we asked, the regional crime officer told us that the assemblyman had threatened the lives of police officer which is not true”, he claimed.
Kpalaa also accused the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) for their inability to find a lasting solution to the matter.
Story By: Alhassan Yakubu |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana
