Regional News of Monday, 31 May 2004

Source: --

NPP Chairman Arrested And Detained

The NPP Constituency chairman for Twifu Atti Morkwa in the Central Region, Mr John Agyemang Poku alias BIGBOSS, had the shock of his life when he was arrested and detained by the security personnel of Twifu Oil Palm Plantation (TOPP) for failing to sign a passage form.

But for the intervention of Police Chief Inspector, Henry Tandoh, the constituency chairman and his entourage together with the party van would have been detained for a very long time. After two hours of delay, however, he was made to write his statement and was later asked to report the following day, to which he obliged.

Narrating his ordeal to newsmen, Mr Agyemang Poku said, he was scheduled to visit Abodwese, a village located behind the TOPP block-farm as part of his re-organisation and membership drive programme.

At the security gate, Agyemang Poku said, he was asked to fill a passage form but he pleaded with them that he was late for his assignment so they should allow him to pass so that he could sign all the necessary form on his return. According to Mr Poku, they agreed to his request and allowed him and his entourage entry. To his dismay, however, he said, when he arrived at the gate the security personnel told him that their records showed that he had refused to sign the passage form on entry so he was to be placed under arrest.

The NPP chairman lamented that no amount of words could convince the new security personnel who had then taken over from the first group that allow he and his entourage.

Passage out of the factory so they detained them (he and his entourage) together with their party van.

Mr Poku stated that on account of this embarrassment, he went to explain matters to the TOPP police stationed few meters away from the main security gate. At the Police Station, he said, he was referred to Chief Inspector Tandoh, the officer in charge, who intervened and requested the chairman to write his statement and report the following day.