General News of Tuesday, 28 October 1997

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Juaso Police Refuse Bribe Again

Juaso (Ashanti Region), 26 Oct., Police personnel at Juaso in the Ashanti Akim South District have for the second time within a month refused a bribe for the release of two suspects arrested for possessing and cultivating leaves suspected to be Indian hemp. Moro Issifu 33, and his nephew Innusah Adams, 22, both farmers at Duampompo near Ejisu, were arrested by the police when they tried to bribe them with one million cedis for the release of Adams Mohammed, 26, a driver and his brother Sumaila Issifu, 24, a farmer who had earlier been arrested by the police for possessing and cultivating leaves suspected to be India hemp. DSP Christian Kofi Sefenu, Ashanti Akim South District Police Commander, briefing newsmen at Juaso said on October 18, this year, Adams was found with a black polythene bag containing dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp at the Kantanso barrier near Asankare. When he was arrested, he mentioned Sumaila as his source of supply. DSP Sefenu said Adam led the police to Sumaila at his Wanwa cottage where they discovered that he had inter-cropped his two hectare food crop farm with plants suspected to be India hemp. The District Police Commander said Sumaila's wife went to Duampopo and informed Moro, about his brother's arrest. He said Moro then sent Innusah with 200,000 cedis to be given to the police as part payment of two million cedis promised to the police to " drop" the case. The police who feigned interest in the deal, accepted the money. He said the police then asked Innusah to come along with Moro with the rest of the money. On October 20, when Moro and Innusah went to the police station with another 800,000 cedis, they were both arrested. Meanwhile the police are still investigating the case. On September 22, this year, eight police personnel on duty at the same barrier, refused one million cedis bribe from two brothers, Emmanuel Addison, a driver and Osmanu Addison, a seaman, when they were arrested for conveying eleven maxi bags and five parcels of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp from Kwabenso near Takyiman in the Brong Ahafo Region to Accra.