Ho, Jan 23, GNA- The incident of armed robberies in the Volta region has reduced from 45 in 2006 to eight in 2007 while robberies in general fell from 133 to less than 100 during the same period. Mr Benard Dery, Volta regional Police Commander, who disclosed this at a press conference in Ho on Tuesday, said incidents of armed robbery and other criminal activities in the region have been reducing progressively since 2006 and urged the public to co-operate with the police in its fight against crime and safeguarding the region against criminals.

He said on January 20, this year, Amarkwei Lasivi, 28, wanted in Togo for armed robbery was arrested in a suburb of Aflao having been given up by his brother and his brother's friend.

Mr Dery said Lasivi and Amuzu Kuwada attempted to rob his brother and the friend but spared them on realizing that he was his sibling. The Regional Police Commander said William Kumaku and Egle Kosi the victims were accosted by Lasivi and Kuwada, who was wielding an AK 47 rifle at the Afedido border crossing point (at Avoeme) in Aflao. Mr Dery said Lasivi and Kuwada have since been put before a circuit court at Ho and subsequently remanded, while Adzamli Lasivi's accomplice in the Togo robbery was in jail in that country.

The Regional Police Commander said Kumaku and Kosi reported their encounter with Lasivi and Kuwada to the Assemblyman for Avoeme who also informed the police at Aflao about the incident.

Mr Derry said Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Ahmed Issa Yakubu in charge of Aflao, led 16 policemen to arrest Lasivi and Kuwada in Lasivi's house at Avoeme on January 20 this year and retrieved an AK 47 rifle number 69454 S. with 28 rounds of ammunition. Mr Dery said Lasivi and Kuwada also provided information, which led the police to Agbozume where they arrested Elo Kwami 36, Elo Kudzo 34, and 15 year-old Bright Doh and retrieved a locally made revolver and a pistol and a dagger from their premises.

The Regional Police Commander said the police in Togo had earlier informed their Ghanaian counterparts that Lasivi who was wanted for armed robbery in that country had escaped to Ghana with an AK47 rifle. Mr Dery said a combined team of security personnel also arrested 29 suspected criminals in an operation at Aflao early January and retrieved quantities of leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and bitters suspected to be prepared from Indian hemp, cocaine sniffing pipes and foreign and Ghana currencies among others in unlicensed liquor selling premises.

He said all the suspects except two who were discharged, were remanded by a circuit court at Ho. Mr Dery said security has been tightened along the Aflao Accra high highway with regular day and night patrols while personnel of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Services and Ghana Immigration Service at Nyive, Shia, Honuta and Leklebi Dafor, the major entry points from Togo have also been put of maximum alert.