Fifteen alleged criminals arrested in police swoop

Obuasi (Ash), June 9, GNA- Fifteen out of 85 persons who were rounded up in an early police swoop on Sunday at Obuasi are to face prosecution for having been identified as alleged notorious criminals.

While some were found to be unlawfully possessing firearms including local-manufactured pistols, others were identified for their involvement in highway robberies and threatening friends with death. The Obuasi District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Bob Ayalingo, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Obuasi on Wednesday, said the rest of the suspects have been screened and those initially found not to be involved in any case have been released on police inquiry bail.

Explaining the rationale behind the exercise, the District Police Commander said for sometime now the police have received reports of burglaries and gun clashes between organised gangs from Koffekrom, Amangoase, and Zongo all suburbs of Obuasi.

He said such clashes do occur after nightclub activities when the gangsters allegedly smoke marijuana and drinking a lot of alcohol. He cited a number of instances where these inter-gang clashes with offensive weapons had left others injured.

"On May 30, 2004, there was a clash between Koffekrom and Zongo gangs at Wawase during which three persons were slashed with one having his finger chopped of", he said.

Among the items retrieved during the swoop were four local-manufactured pistols, 20 dangerous implements and quantities of Indian hemp.