Hohoe, July 6, GNA - Mr Charles Aggor, the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) collector-in-charge of Wli-Afegame, was, on Sunday, brutalized by a suspected gang of cocoa smugglers without any provocation. The duty vehicle, which was temporarily seized, has been abandoned with the Service's pistol and five live ammunition unaccounted for. Mr Aggor told the GNA at the Hohoe Municipal Hospital, where he was receiving medical attention, that he was attacked by a gang made up of some townsfolk of Wli-Afegame, whose cocoa load meant for smuggling, he recently intercepted in an operation.

He explained that after he had dropped a CEPS official from the official vehicle and was driving off, the gang questioned why he flashed the vehicle's headlamps in their faces. Mr Aggor said soon after he replied that: "Who would drive in the night without using lights," he was met by spontaneous attacks with clubs and cudgels, leaving him in a shredded uniform. He said an attempt to fire a warning shot was quelled with a deafening slap from behind and he became a punch bag, so had to feign death for his safety. Mr Aggor said his attackers are known people from the Wli-Afegame community, who persistently threatened murder. Mr Wisdom Kudze, Hohoe Municipal Police Commander, who corroborated the report, said the Police had commenced intelligence gathering on the issue and was optimistic that the culprits would be apprehended soon. This incident comes in the wake of attacks on CEPS and Ghana Immigration Service officials in line of duty along the Eastern frontier, in a three month span. 06 July 10