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A policewoman and two Naval Ratings have been arrested for allegedly attempting to extort money from a gold dealer at Bawdie in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region.

The three were said to have posed as national security operatives from the national headquarters of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) and invaded the home of a gold dealer to arrest him for an unknown crime.

They are Detective Corporal Akosua Frimponma, attached to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) at the Kwesimintsim Police Command, Naval Rating Prince Osei Obiri and Naval Rating Edwin Christopher Kuusosaal, both of the Western Naval Command in Sekondi. 

They were said to have dressed in police and Naval uniforms and hired a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado for the foiled operations.

But for the timely intervention of the police, the suspects would have been attacked by a mob from the community after the victim raised an alarm and called the police.

Police Command
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Western Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police,  Mr Alex I. Quainoo, said the police would apply the full sanctions in its disciplinary books while they collaborated with the millitary garrison to deal with the two ratings.

He said last Friday, the three moved from Takoradi to Bawdie and went to the home of the gold dealer and placed him under arrest in an attempt to extort money from him.

According to Mr Quainoo, the gold dealer told the suspects that he had all the permits needed for his business and did not see reason why he should be invited to the BNI headquarters.

Time out
Mr Quainoo said the suspects, realising that time was running out, threatened to strip the victim naked and take him to Accra.

Mr Quainoo said the gold dealer then raised an alarm and the three fled but the victim informed the community members, who mobilised, chased and apprehended them.

“But for the timely intervention of the police, the three suspects would have been attacked”,  he added.

He said the vehicle was impounded and moved to the Bogoso Police Station while the suspects were sent to the Tarkwa Police Division.

“For the policewoman, she was supposed to be on duty as part of the security arrangement for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)  in the metropolis and I don’t know why she went out of her jurisdiction beyond three districts,” he added.