Police Arrest 4 Over Fake Kidnapping Story

By Clement Adzei Boye

Takoradi — The Takoradi police have arrested four more people in connection with the fake kidnapping story that hit the Sekondi- Takoradi metropolis, last Wednesday.

The suspects, Elijah Sam, 16, Evelyn Christ Agyapong, 19, Daniel Kwasi Essien, 17, and Caleb Winrith Nii Ayitey Tagoe, 16, all students, were arrested on February 8, following investigations by the police in Takoradi.

Earlier, the police had on Thursday, February 7 arrested De-Vreeze Quaynoo, 17, and Anthony Osei Prempeh, 18, both students of the Ghana Secondary School (GSTS), at their hideout near the Anaji palace in Takoradi.

Upon interrogation, the two admitted to have used the "kidnapping gimmick" was in order to extort money from their parents, to purchase ink to print fake currency.

The six had been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and deceit of a public officer, and would soon be arraigned.

Briefing the Ghanaian Times yesterday, the Deputy Western Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent of Police (Supt) Husein Musah Awinaba, explained that the suspects bought five SMS cards and used them to call Quaynoo's father, claiming that his children had been kidnapped and demanding a ransom of GH¢ 9,000.

Supt. Awinaba said Quaynoo allegedly conspired with the other students to fake the kidnapping story, adding that it was Daniel, who called Quaynoo's parents who lived at Sefwi Wiawso, demanding the ransom.

He recalled that atabout 9:20p.m. on Wednesday, February 6, the Senior Housemaster of GSTS, Mr Bernard Adu Ampako, told the police that Quaynoo, who left the school premises about 3p.m had reported that he had been kidnapped by an unknown caller.

Supt Awinaba said that the housemaster explained that the Assistant School Prefect, who used Quaynoo's phone, received a call from a strange voice that his mate had been kidnapped.

"Investigators were immediately sent to gather intelligence during which they found that the victim was with some friends in a house around the Takoradi Secondary School (TADISCO).When the team arrived at the scene, they found De-vreeze's school uniform in the house," he said.

According to the Deputy Regional Crime Officer, the landlady told the police that Quaynoo and the other alleged accomplices, namely Osei-Prempeh, Daniel and Evelyn, visited her son, Elijah Sam, the previous night, and stayed until 10p.m. and she asked them to go back home.

Supt Awinaba told the Ghanaian Times that when the police confronted Osei Prempeh, he revealed the plot, and offered to show them where Quaynoo could be arrested.

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