'Criminals' on parade in Ghana

Police in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, have made mass arrests following several violent robberies and have lined up more than 200 people for identification parades.

Hundreds of Accra residents and curiosity-seekers thronged the regional police headquarters this week to catch a glimpse of the armed robbery suspects.

Some among the crowds had been victims of the increasingly brazen and violent robberies that have been taking place in the capital and other major towns.

Most of the suspects were youths, and all of them except five or so were women.

The victims were allowed to take a close look at each one of the suspects to determine if they could identify them as having taken part in a particular robbery incident.

Some came away disappointed. One young woman, in her early thirties, said she had been robbed three weeks ago but could not see the perpetrators.

"I want the police to continue this exercise; I want to find the people who stole my things and threatened to kill me and my boyfriend," she said.

Instant justice

One man came away from the identification parade with a clenched fist, after he had seen a man he claimed had stormed his house a few months ago.

He wanted instant justice, but the police would not let him lift a finger.

Those who were identified could be charged after further investigation.

The suspects were among almost 2,000 people who were rounded up on Sunday in an anti-crime campaign involving 800 armed military and police personnel.

They were picked up in an Accra slum called Sodom and Gomorrah, where some of the city's most sought-after criminal suspects were thought to be hiding.

Most suspects except the 200 were set free after initial investigations and screening on the next day.

During the exercise, security officers confiscated firearms, knives, drugs and military uniforms, some of which were blood-stained.

'Go to hell'

The increase in the incidence and violent nature of recent robberies has led to a boom in the security fence industry and a surge in the number of private security firms.

Some human rights activists have described the methods of the security agencies as harsh and, possibly, unconstitutional.

Others say the authorities should deal with violent crime by providing jobs and hope to destitute youths.

But one furious robbery victim at the regional police grounds on Monday said human rights lawyers could go to hell and take the suspects with them.

Ghanaian cities and towns are regarded as some of the safest in West Africa.

However, over the past year or so, there have been a series of uncharacteristically violent robberies.