The Northern Region Criminal Investigative Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has apprehended the Assemblyman for Koblimahagu in the Tamale metropolis, Mohammed Ahmed Babamu, for allegedly obstructing police investigations and breach of public peace.
THE CUSTODIAN has learned that some police CID personnel visited the community Thursday (March 17, 2022) to carry out an investigation in relation to the assault of officers of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) last two weeks.
However, the Regional Crime Officer, Supt Bernard Baba Ananga, who confirmed the arrest, said the police identified the place of abode of the suspects where they went to arrest them but the assemblyman he indicated appeared there with a group of people numbering about 20 and allegedly obstructed the work of the officers.
“We identified the place of abode of the suspects, we were there this morning and the assemblyman appeared with a group of people numbering about 20, threaten our police officers – this assemblyman dared our investigator and the police men who were there to arrest the suspects but the police were not there to compound the situation, we simply had to withdraw” he explained.
Supt Baba Ananga said this prompted the invitation of the assemblyman to explain his actions but according to the CID Boss, the assemblyman came with another group to the police command and caused public peace and security.
Police interrogation
After his interrogation, the Crime Officer insisted it is quite clear that the assemblyman was shielding the suspects and not allowing police to outlook and arrest the suspects.
But, these assertions by Supt Baba Ananga were sharply refuted by one of the residents, Karim Abdul Rahaman, who accompanied the assembly member to the CID office.
He described the actions of the police as 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 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 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 asserted.
He added that, “Mind you, the area has been in darkness for the past ten days – so it has raised a lot concerns and as and when strange face appears in the community, everybody comes around. So when the community members saw the police men, 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 sit for period of 10 to 15mins before they made go to the office of the regional commander, VRA officers were invited before we finally saw the assemblyman handcuffed with a team of police men carrying their rifles behind him, dragging 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”.
Karim Abdul Rahaman stated crime rate in the community is now on the rise because people now sleep in the open at night endangering themselves and their livelihood.
He further blamed the Northern Regional Security Council headed by the Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, whose pronouncement, he noted has emboldened the impunity on the part NEDCo and the police.
