Two suspected armed robbers and cattle rustlers have been apprehended by a community watchdog group in Tumu, in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
The suspects, Amadu Jallo Majeed, 26, and Korica Amadu Barry, 22, were arrested on Wednesday, March 12, following intelligence gathered by the Tumu Community Watchdog Committee regarding suspected criminal activities within the township.
According to the leader of the watchdog committee, Mr. Jargon, the group received information that some suspected criminals had fled a crime scene after an attempted cattle theft and that one of them was suffering from a gunshot wound.
He explained that intelligence gathered by the committee indicated that the suspects were residing within and around the Tumu township. Acting on this tip-off, members of the watchdog committee launched a targeted search, which led to the arrest of the two suspects at separate locations.
Mr. Jargon disclosed that one of the suspects was found receiving treatment for a gunshot wound at a hideout. After his arrest, he reportedly led the committee to the second suspect, who was hiding at another location within the town.
Preliminary interrogation by the watchdog committee revealed that the suspects allegedly travelled to Dolibizon, a community located about 36 kilometres from Tumu, where they attempted to steal a cow.
According to the suspects, they were shot at by an unidentified person while attempting to escape with the stolen animal, forcing them to abandon their plans and flee.
Following their arrest, the watchdog committee escorted the suspects to the palace of the traditional authority in Tumu and handed them over to the landlord of the town, who subsequently contacted the security agencies to take custody of the suspects.
The suspects have since been handed over to the Tumu Police for further investigations and possible prosecution.
Speaking after the handover, the landlord of Tumu, Baba Bayina Tommie Kanton, called for a professional and transparent handling of the case to ensure that justice is served. He noted that previous collaborations between the community watchdog committee and the police had suffered setbacks due to mistrust, which affected joint efforts to combat crime in the area.
The Municipal Police Commander, ASP Adusie Poku Johnson, assured the community that the police would handle the matter professionally and pursue the case to its logical conclusion in order to restore public confidence and strengthen cooperation between residents and law enforcement agencies.
Source: Sissala Fm
