Man Accuses Police of Extortion, Stealing

…After Forceful Withdrawal From His MOMO Account

A young man who identified himself as, Ametor Doe Emmanuel, is accusing some police officers believed to be from the Visibility Unit or Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) in Accra of extortion and stealing money from his mobile money account, after he was arrested.

According to the victim, this was after the officers arrested him around Kanda, near Jubilee House and dragged him to an isolated location in handcuff and forcibly ordered him to provide his MOMO password, after which they withdrew the money and flee.

The victim said, even though he reported the matter to the Cantonment police and provided relevant details, including registration number of motorbike used by the officers and MOMO transactions, the officers handling the case, appear reluctant to flush out their colleagues.

Emmanuel, who is utterly disappointed in the police, is asking the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to intervene and ensure he gets the justice he deserves.

Speaking in a viral video monitored by The Anchor, the victim, said he boarded a commercial motorbike popularly called Okada from the business district of Accra home when the incident happened.

He said, while on their way and got to the frontage of the Jubilee House, they were stopped by these officers, who had the new police motorbikes with the registration number GP8145.

Emmanuel said in his attempt to get down from the bike, the rider absconded, leaving him behind. There, he said the officers suddenly said they have arrested them.

He said, the officers handcuffed him and told him they were taking him to their office, but they never got to the said office.

Rather, he was sent to a certain location, where they allegedly subjected him to severe beatings and forcibly collected a cash of GH₵1,200 from him.

MOMO Withdrawal

He added that, the officers also demanded that he provides his mobile money password, where the officers also allegedly withdrew over GH₵3,000 from his MOMO wallet.

“I hired okada (motorbike) from Accra, but on our way, we were stopped by some two police officers, who were using new motorbike in front of the Flagstaff House.

After stopping, they said they have arrested us, so as I got down from the bike, the rider was able to abscond. He was chased, but they were unsuccessful, so I was arrested. I was informed I was being taken to the office, so I asked…I was sitting behind the bike, so how do you arrest me?

In the exchanges, I was slapped by one, after which they handcuffed me. On our way to the office, they diverted and sent me under a tree, there I was beaten and they used shocker on me. They said, if I don’t speak the truth, they will kill me. They had searched me and took the GH₵1,200, I had on me,” he alleged in a video shared by a social media user with account name Nana Yaw Sefah.

According to him, “They then demanded for my mobile money code or they will kill me so, I gave them and they withdrew GH₵3,700 in my wallet. After transferring the money, one of the officers asked that they should shoot me, but I spoke Ewe with the one with the gun, who is Ewe, so he rescinded”.

Emmanuel claimed, he was abandoned in a bush after the beatings and they removed the handcuff.

Police Reluctance

After he had his freedom, Emmanuel said, he rushed to the Adentan police station to lodge a complaint, but he was directed to go to the Cantonments police station, where he had his case recorded.

After going through his phone and receipt of the mobile money transfer, Emmanuel, said he was informed the name of the officer who withdrew his money matches with the name on the receipt, but when he requested to see this said officer, the police refused.

He said all attempts to get these officers arrested and put before the law, have proven futile, hence his decision to speak out in the media, so the IGP can hear him and act on it swiftly.

He further said, “They then abandoned me in an unknown bush, so they removed the handcuff and left me. After I found my way home, I went to the Adenta Police Station, but I was directed to go to Cantonments. But over there, they said they have checked the receipt on my phone and noticed the name matched with an officer there at the station.

I demanded that they make me see the face of the said officer to identify him, but they asked me to be patient. It has been three weeks, but the woman keeps telling me to exercise patience. I still have the message and I have their motor number”, he said and gave out the registration number of the motor.

Source: Anchorghana.com