Four policemen have been placed in custody at the Accra Central Police Station on the orders of the Regional Police Command after the arrest of five Indian businessmen over alleged money laundering and other suspicious activities in a residential building at Osu, Accra.
The officers—Chief Inspector Emmanuel Nunekpeku with service number 33584; Sgt. Alex Akuaku, No. 33450; Sgt. Julius Sewor, 40492 and L/Cpl Richmond Ayayi—have been accused by the Indians of stealing GH¢50,000 out of GH¢1.3 million and a number of gold bars they (cops) seized from their (Indian businessmen’s) office.
Police Version
According to the Accra Regional Police spokeswoman, ASP Efia Tengey, the money and the gold taken to the Airport Police Station stood at GH¢1,360,000 and 974 grams of gold valued at GH¢2,167,720.
Genesis
Information gleaned from a cop close to the case has it that last Saturday policemen from the Airport Station went to the Osu offices of the Indians, one of whom is the Managing Director of Deepsin Impex Limited, named Manu but who is also called Munishawar Singh, and arrested them.
Upon arrival at the said offices, they were denied access to a particular room but the policemen insisted on inspecting it, their suspicions having been heightened by the refusal of the Indians to give way.
“When the room was finally opened, we found it filled with a large volume of money stashed in many bags as well as gold bars,” the anonymous cop told DAILY GUIDE.
CID Headquarters
The car at the disposal of the cops, DAILY GUIDE was told, was too small to convey the money and the gold bars to the Airport Police Station, whereupon a message was sent to the CID headquarters for the release of an appropriate vehicle to finish the operation, the policeman added.
The Indians refused to have the money put in the police vehicle and so one of their vehicles was used to convey the money to the Airport Police Station, DAILY GUIDE gathered.
Those who accompanied the Indians to the station included the landlord of the house where the office is situated and a private security guard from the office, DAILY GUIDE gleaned.
When they were brought to the police station, the Indians were taken through the routine of caution statement and the like, but before the process was exhausted word was said to have come from Mr Dejo, the Second-in-Command at the CID headquarters, that the suspects be released alongside their booty.
Chief Inspector
Earlier, the Chief Inspector, now in detention, was said to have demanded that they be detained as investigations continued.
Before leaving the Airport Police Station, the Chief Inspector is said to have demanded the counting of the money – a demand which was declined by Mr Singh.
He was, however, asked to sign an authentication that the items had all been returned to them intact – a copy of which document is attached to this story.
Manu, Managing Director of Deepsin Impex, when contacted on his cell phone, said he would call back but did not do so as at press time yesterday.
Cop’s Wife
The wife of one of the arrested police officers, Vivian Ackuaku, complained on an Accra radio station that her husband had been detained for the past three days and that she was worried.
“I am very angry, very, very angry,” she stated.
She said her husband and his colleagues were “sent by their boss to go for the operation” and why they would be detained beyond 48 hours was surprising. Having found nothing incriminating in their house when they came to search the place, she said the court should be the next place to take them on and not detention.
Baba Jamal’s Denial
The arrest of the Indians and their subsequent release, including the large sums of money and gold bars being exhibits upon an alleged intervention of Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Baba Jamal, are shrouded in wonderment.
Baba Jamal has denied any such involvement besides advice that the matter be reported to the Accra Regional Police Commander.
Baba Jamal expressed surprise at the turn of events.
He gave a measured response to DAILY GUIDE yesterday when he denied causing the release of the Indians.
According to him, “I have never set eyes on the Indians let alone intervene on their behalf in a matter about which I know nothing.”
Interestingly, Baba Jamal, who claimed he didn’t know the Indians, was able to narrate what transpired at the police station – a narration he said was given to him by the Indians’ lawyer.
He said he was told that “The policemen left their area of jurisdiction at the Airport Police Station to undertake an operation in Osu after suspecting the Indians of engaging in money laundering. When they got to the place they ordered that the security cameras be disabled and they took away an amount of GH¢1.3 million.
“Within an hour of their getting to the Airport Police Station they released the suspects and the exhibits without taking a statement from them.”
Lawyer
Continuing, he said “When the Indians, according to the narration given to me by their lawyer, sought to count the money the policemen refused to have them do that. Upon their return to their office, however, they discovered that the amount was short by GH¢50,000.”
The Indians’ lawyer, who Baba Jamal said is a friend, called and narrated the story to him “and I told him to report it to the Accra Regional Police Commander who quickly ordered the arrest of the policemen. How did I come in with an intervention as being alleged?”
The policemen, after their arrest, were returned to the scene by their colleagues from the Regional Police Command to determine whether indeed the security cameras were disabled at a point in time as the story had it.
One of the exhibits, which bears the handwriting of one of the Indians reads, “I Munishawar Singh Deepsin Impex confirm that the things which the police brought to the Airport Police Station were released to us in the same condition. I certify that the things all. Thanks.”
Daily Guide
