IN ATTEMPT TO 'KILL' CASE, POLICE BRIBE INFORMANT?

THE POLICE administration is investigating a case in which the Akwatia
Police Command in the Eastern Region is alleged to have bribed an informant
to drop a case against a suspected drug peddler.

On September 22, 2003, Mr Frank Matey Sackitey lodged a complaint to the
Inspector General of Police (IGP) with c100, 000 alleged to be the bribe
money given him by the police as his share for alerting them about the drug
transaction by a certain Kofi Savie.

The bribe was intended to influence the informant to soften his stand.

The Chronicle has gathered that when news got to the Akwatia police that
the money they had given to Sackitey had been forwarded to the IGP, they
allegedly started harassing him.

The Police Public Relations Directorate, confirming that Sackitey had
deposited the alleged bribe money with the police administration, said the
case was being investigated.

Efforts by The Chronicle to get the Akwatia police commander to react to
the allegation were not successful.

However, information available to the paper indicated that on July 8, last
year, Sackitey informed the police about the activities of one Kofi Savie,
a suspected drug peddler.

The police, upon the tip-off, conducted a search of a car the suspect was
using to transport the drug and arrested Savie in possession of some leaves
suspected to be Indian hemp.

Another search of his room, uncovered some more of the leaves but the
police rather accused Sackitey of planting the drugs on the suspect.

On July 30, last year, the two were arraigned before the Asamankese Circuit
Court and made to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for a year.

However, in order to prove that he had been falsely accused, Sackitey
alerted the police, when once again, he found Savie conveying suspected
Indian hemp leaves to Dwenase, his village. He was caught red-handed on
September 18, 2003.

Sackitey alleged that the police extorted money from Savie and when he
confronted the superintendent in charge of the station, he gave him
c100,000 bribe to keep mute.

According to him, one Opanyin Yaw Poku, from Dwenase, paid the money after
which the suspect was released from police custody.

But when he declared his intention to inform the IGP about the case, the
police began to harass him.