Bawku (U/E), Aug 7, GNA - Passengers on board a Bolgatanga-bound Metro Mass Transit Bus underwent a body search at the Bawku police station after a passenger complained that his mobile phone had been picked from his pocket.

After nearly two hours of bodily search on the over 40 passengers and their luggage the police could not retrieve the missing phone. Police Inspector Andrews Yirenkyi, who led the police team that conducted the search, said the bus, with registration number GT 6524 X, entered the police yard at about 1430 hours with a complaint by the driver that a passenger's phone had been picked in the bus. The phone's owner, Mr Seidu, said he was among passengers standing in the bus when it took off for its journey from Bawku to Bolgatanga. He said he decided to use his phone to inform his family that he was on his way home when he realised that he could not find the phone in his pocket.

Mr Seidu said he told another passenger who used his phone to dial his (Seidu's) number and they heard the phone ringing in the bus but they could not move to locate the person holding the phone since the bus was full.

He said they alerted the bus driver who stopped and asked the thief to hand over the phone but this failed and when they tried calling the number again, the phone was switched off.

The driver then drove the bus to the police station and the search was conducted but it yielded no result and the bus was released to continue its journey.