Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 29 May 2007

Source: Chronicle

Police Engage in Tactical Robbery

A number of police officers in the country, in their bid to get rich quickly have resorted to what can be described as tactical robbery, in which the victims are normally recipients of money transfers from relatives abroad.

Last year alone, foreign remittances to Ghana through money transfer operation amounted to $5.67million and it is feared that as a result of the current development, remittances that are channeled through legitimate systems into the country may reduce drastically. Investigations conducted by The Chronicle have revealed that some cops have been taking advantage of rifles given to them for their duties to rob innocent customers who go to receive monies transferred to them from abroad through the banks.

Such customers always make their ordeals known to the banks and have also been lodging complaints at various police stations, but their complaints always do not receive appropriate action from the police.

The paper gathered that most of the banks which operate money transfer business have registered their protest against the disgusting attitudes of the crooked police officers embroiled in the acts, to the Accra Regional Police Headquarters, the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS) and the Director General in charge of Police Operations.