Rape , Defilement cases on the Rise at Kaneshie

By Felix Engsalige Nyaaba

Cases of defilement, rape and street robbery are  in the increase in 2011 as compared to 2010, at the Kaneshie Division of the Ghana Police in the Accra Region.

Defilement cases went upwards from 65 to 110; rape increased from 7 to 44, while street robbery cases also went upwards from 55 to 71 in 2010 to 2011.

The Division on the other hand recorded downwards cases of murder from 11 to 6; residential robbery from 35 to 15, while workplace robbery also decreased from 5 to one case from 2010 to 2011.

The Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent, Michael kportufe Avadesti announced this during its West Africa Security Services Activities (WASSA),  celebrating at its Division Headquarter at Kaneshie  at the weekend in Accra.

The WASSA programme which is an annual program in the calendar of the security services is use to thank the serving officers for their meritorious services to the country for the past year.

According to the Divisional Commander, though the Division lacks many resources to carry it mandates, the officers for the past year exhibited sense of patriotism and intelligences in their duties leading to the remarkable achievements the division sustained.

C/Supt. Avadetsi said, the decrease in some crimes was as a result of the outreach programmes the division embarked upon last year in various communities and market places to educate the public on  the need to partner the police in crime combat and encourage the public to report any abuses.

He said, the Division would this year embark on communities and schools outreach programme at residential and basic schools in its catchment areas in the region to sensitize them on how to identify crime and report to the police.

The Divisional Commander stated that, the Division had opened satellites police centers in areas where the crime was on the increase, such Kasoa Toll booth, Weija New site and other plash point to help reduce crime in the division.

He noted that, the biggest challenge to the Division at the moment was how to handle the impending general elections, where utterance of politicians, demonstration and media discussion which could easily cause riots in the area.

He however, called on the various political leaders and their supporters in the constituency to as a matter of concern for peace to tone down their utterance so the police could live up to expectation.

C/SPT. Avadesti also called on the media to help educate the public on various forms of abuse and to avoid reportage that would ignite violence in the upcoming general election in December this year.

The Accra Regional Commander, Commissioner of police, Madam Rose Bio-Atinga on her part said, with the upcoming general election in the country  the police would not tolerate any political party or group of persons  who would use the election to cause violence in the country.

She said, many people or persons have been trying to draw the police into politicking by making comments against the services as if they were members of certain political parties.

The Regional Commander warned that, the police would not hesitate to deal ruthlessly with any person or group of persons who would want to foment trouble in the country before, during and after the general election.

Madam Bio-Atinga said, the police would continue to apply the law strictly on all manner of persons without fear or favour who would attempt to provoke the peace the country is enjoying in the name of politics.

The Regional Commander also used the occasion to assured the Kaneshie Division that, plans are far advance to equip the Division with resources to be able to meet the daily challenges it faces in combating crime.

According to her, vehicles, bullet proof Jackets and other logistics would soon be provided to the division as part of packages to ensure that, officers do their duties without any hindrance.

The division also uses the WASSA program to award some officers who excel excellently in line of their services to the country.

A minute of silent was also observed in honor of an officer from the division and other officers who lost their lives in the recent robbery incident at Tuba near Kasoa in line of his services to the nation.