Features
Criminals in uniform
In Shakespeare’s tragic play, Macbeth, Duncan, the King of Scotland, declares: “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face.” He makes this remark after he is told that the Thane of Cawdor has been executed for treason.
In the play, the Thane of Cawdor, a Scottish titled man, valiant for that matter, betrays his country, and the king’s trust by fighting for the Norwegians who are at war against Scotland. His compatriots capture him, and King Duncan orders his execution. It is after the order is carried out and reported to Duncan that he makes that statement.
In simple terms, the expression means one cannot read someone else’s mind by merely looking at their face. In other words, never judge a book by its cover.
The king realises that there is no way to predict betrayal. He does not see it coming as his next sentence shows: “He was a gentleman on whom I built absolute trust.”
Such is the dilemma we face as a nation. The nefarious activities of some men in uniform, have put Ghanaians on edge. These are people to whom we have entrusted our safety and security, but they have betrayed our trust and are in cahoots with criminals of all sorts to threaten us, putting both our property and very lives in danger.
Policemen and soldiers have in recent times, been arrested in very compromising situations unbecoming of their profession. They have joined the underworld. Like the Thane of Cawdor, they are sent to wage war against criminals, but they go and join them to do us harm.
It occurs all over the world with varying degrees. There have been reported cases of policemen in the UK abducting, raping, and murdering women. In the US, a policeman recently killed his own wife, a fellow police officer, following what is believed to be a domestic violence incident.
However, criminals in uniform abound more in Africa than in other parts of the world. And some of the reports are frighteningly shocking. For example, in the 1980s, in Nigeria, the name of a very prominent senior police officer, DSP George Iyamu, popped up as the main facilitator of the most deadly and dreaded criminal gang in the country, led by Lawrence Anini, a very young notorious armed robber in his late 20s.
Together with his gang, Anini terrorised most parts of Nigeria, especially, Benin City in the old Bendel State which has now been split into Edo State and Delta State.
The clan began as carjackers before including robbing buses on highways. In no time, bank robberies became their preferred option with the cruel massacre of victims.
They committed gruesome murders including killing a lot of policemen who stood in their way. Within just about four months, the group had killed close to a dozen policemen, including two who attempted to stop Anini at a barrier, not to mention civilians.
The fearsome robber held sway over all he surveyed and was a law unto himself. In fact, he called himself Anini the law and was so elusive and dreaded even though he was living right under the nose of the police.
It is said that even if he approached a police barrier, all he had to say was: “I am Anini the law.” And come and see speed! Instead of attempting to arrest him, they would just flee for cover, and allow him free passage.
Anini even had the audacity to draft a proposal and gave it to the military Head of State at the time, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, about collaborating with his group of felons and treating them with respect to bring peace to the country, especially, Benin City.
The Newswatch magazine, in its October 27, 1986 publication, listed the six conditions Anini gave for peace to return to Benin city in an unedited form as follows:
“No more prosecution of innocent armed robbers; a stop to collusion between the police and the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers, and with members of the Ogboni cult; no more harassment of market women returning from their work; the ‘abolition of the collection of 50k-N5 [by the Highway Patrol], equal treatment for everybody; and fair treatment for all legitimate drivers by the police.”
Ironically, Anini, while still committing atrocities, posed as an advocate and deliverer of the suffering masses of Nigeria, including his fellow criminals whom he described as “innocent armed robbers.”
His reign of terror which peaked between August and December, 1986, was so bloody and widespread that he was even discussed at National Security Council meetings chaired by General Babangida himself who furiously posed the question to the IGP, Mr. EtimInyang: “My friend, where is Anini.”
General Babangida ordered a massive manhunt for Anini and his cohorts. A crack team of policemen, from outside Anini’s home region of Bendel State, operating under tight secrecy, hounded them, combing every nook and cranny of his state, especially Benin City, the capital, which the group was said to be using as its operational headquarters.
The effort finally paid off. Finally, on December 3, 1986, the team captured Anini in the company of six girlfriends in Benin City. Some other members of the group were also nabbed at different locations.
While in custody, Anini made some startling revelations, disclosing the identities of six police officers, including DSP George Iyamu, as their accomplices who tipped them off about plans to get them. Iyamu, the most senior among the officers, was also said to have provided guns and other logistics for the Anini bunch.
On March 29, 1987, Anini who was just over 26 years, was executed by firing squad, together with his bandits, after being convicted and sentenced to death for armed robbery by a High Court. DSP Iyamu and four other policemen also suffered the same fate.
Thirty-five years on, another top cop, Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, widely touted as a potential IGP, has fallen from grace to grass after being implicated in a cocaine deal with a notorious internet scammer and drug dealer.
In Ghana, when a spate of attacks on bullion vans hit recently, the police had good cause to look everywhere except within their own ranks. After all, the police are the trusted ones to go after the crooks!
But it turned out to be all wrong. Duncan’s words came into play: “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face.” About six servicemen who mourned the death of a colleague cruelly murdered in one of the bullion van attacks, turned out to be shedding crocodile tears.
They were the very criminals the police were looking for. Two of them died inexplicably in a shooting incident when the police went with them after their civilian accomplices. Four others are on remand while their trial goes on,.
In another development, the M.C.E. of New Juaben South, Mr Isaac Appaw Gyasi, on June 21, 2022, was reported to have revealed that some moles among the security personnel in his municipality, have been countering efforts to arrest sex traffickers and commercial sex kingpins by leaking information on operational strategies adopted for the arrest and prosecution of the criminals.
In recent times, sex trafficking and commercial sex business are getting out of hand in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional Capital, with reports alleging that the municipality has become the destination of choice for Nigerians and other foreign nationals engaged in the illicit activities.
With the connivance of Ghanaian accomplices, those foreigners lure young girls into believing that decent and well-paying jobs are available in Ghana only for them to be pushed into those practices.
The irony is that while the new police administration under C.O.P Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, is making strenuous attempts to reduce crime significantly, traitors within the service are thwarting these efforts by conniving with criminals.
New ways of policing, hitherto unheard of in Ghana, have now been introduced into the service. This includes the establishment of a K-9 (canine) Unit whose officers and trained security dogs are stationed at vantage points across Accra for operational patrols.
This new way of policing forms part of the Proactive Preventive Policing Strategy and it is aimed at increasing the visibility of personnel, improving intelligence gathering, tracking of contraband goods, and improving upon other aspects of criminal investigations. Plans are underway to extend the strategy to other regions in the near future.
Another innovation is the horse patrol in various areas as part of the visibility strategy to nip crime in the bud. Besides, Regional, Divisional, and District Police Commanders across the country, on Monday, June 20, 2022, embarked on an intensive community engagement nationwide with a view to bringing policing to the doorsteps of Ghanaians as well as gathering intelligence.
Very lofty ideas but with the moles as recalcitrant as ever, what is the future of policing in Ghana in particular, Africa as a whole, and the world in general?
The programmes demand trustworthy security personnel to succeed. But, again, “there’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face.” For that reason, let there be foolproof background checks before new officers are enlisted into the Ghana Police Service.
For those criminals already in uniform, give them no rest. Hound them and flush them all out. They must be put out of service. Period!
Contact:teepeejubilee@yahoo.co.uk
By Tonny Prempeh
When Abigail Fremah steps up to the Armwrestling table, the noise fades, the tension settles, and order takes over.
Despite a calm, but firm and meticulous disposition, she has become one of the quiet forces shaping Ghana’s growing reputation in the sport, not as an athlete, but a referee trusted on the continental stage.
Abigail’s journey into Armwrestling did not begin at the table. Like many Ghanaian sports enthusiasts, she grew up playing several disciplines. Football was her first love, but she also featured in volleyball and basketball during her school years. Sports, she says, was simply a way of life not just for her.
“It runs through the family. All my siblings are into sports,” she stated.
“I was involved in almost every sport in school, football, volleyball, netball, hockey; I did everything,” she recalls.
Her academic background in Health, Physical Education and Recreation laid a solid foundation for her sporting career. While on scholarship at the university (University of Cape Coast), she often used her modest budget to support young athletes, sometimes sharing skills and even T-shirts at programmes she attended. Giving back, she explains, has always been part of her motivation.
However, as she matured as an athlete, Abigail made a critical self-assessment.
“Armwrestling involves a lot of strength,” she admits. “Looking at my body type, I realised I couldn’t fit properly as a competitive athlete.”
That moment of honesty pushed her to a different trajectory but equally important path in sports; which is officiating.
During her National Service, she was encouraged by Mr Charles Osei Asibey, the President of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation (GAF), to consider officiating. He introduced her to a technical official, Mr Hussein Akuerteh Addy, who formally took her through the basics of Armwrestling officiating in 2021.
“I started as a case official,” she says. “We moved from region to region every week, officiating competitions. That’s where it all began.”
By 2022, Abigail was actively involved in national assignments, though she missed the African Championship that year. Her breakthrough came in 2023, when Ghana hosted the African Armwrestling Championship.
It was her first experience officiating at a major international competition and it changed everything.
“That was my first national and international exposure at the same time,” she says. “It really opened my eyes.”
Today, Abigail is a World Junior Armwrestling Referee, a status earned through performance, consistency and discipline. She explains that progression in officiating was not automatic.
“It’s all about performance, your appearance at African Championships, your conduct, how you handle pressure; that’s what takes you to the world level,” she stressed.
As a referee, Abigail’s priority is safety and fairness. Armwrestling, she notes, comes with risks, particularly injuries to the wrists, elbows, shoulders and arms.
“If athletes don’t follow the rules or refuse to listen to officials, injuries can happen,” she explains, adding that focus was everything.
Before every match, she ensures that all equipment which includes elbow pads, hand pegs and table alignment were properly set. Athletes are not allowed to cover their elbows, must grip correctly, and must follow the referee’s commands precisely.
“We make sure everything is fixed before the grip,” she says. “Once we say ‘Ready… Go’, there should be no confusion.”
She is also firm on discipline. Warnings are issued for infractions, and repeated misconduct attracts penalties.
“The referee must be respected, if you don’t listen, the rules will deal with you,” she says.
Abigail credits her confidence partly to her sporting family background. Her mother was a volleyball player, while other family members also participated in sports. Though they were initially concerned about her safety, her rise to the top reassured them.
“They were afraid at first,” she admits. “But they were also very proud, especially because some of them never got the opportunity to reach this level.”
Looking ahead, Abigail is optimistic about the future of Armwrestling in Ghana. In less than a decade, the country has produced African and world-level medalists, a sign, she believes, of great things to come for Ghana.
“Whenever we go out, we come back with medals such as gold and silver,” she says, and to her that was a sign of growth.
In the next five to ten years, Abigail sees herself rising to become a World Master Referee, the highest officiating level in the sport. Until then, her routine remains intense, training four times a week, working closely with athletes, standing on her feet for hours, and constantly refining her understanding of the rules.
“I love this sport,” she says simply. “That love is what keeps me going.”
Abigail encouraged women to be bold and intentional about their place in sports saying “don’t limit yourself because of fear or stereotypes.”
She also urged women to invest in learning, discipline and consistency, stressing that respect was earned through performance.
For Abigail, as Ghana’s armwrestlers continue to make their mark, she will remain where she is most effective at the table, ensuring the game is played right.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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As he had promised Aperkeh, the elderly man and his wife and three daughters stopped by Aperkeh’s parents’ house. Mr Amando and his family were preparing to settle in for the night.
“Brother Ben and family”, Mr Joshua Amando said warmly, “although I know you are here on a matter that can hardly be described as joyous, it is still good to see you. You are welcome. Please sit down while I bring you water”.
“Yes, we will take water, even though we are hardly thirsty, because this is our home”.
“Okay, Ben”, he started after they had drank, “Let me go straight to the point. My daughter Priscilla has told me about the goings on between her brother Aperkeh and our daughter Stella.
Before informing me, Priscilla had expressed concern to Aperkeh about some habits he is adopting, especially the late nights and the drinking. She tells me that one Saturday morning, she was there when Stella complained about his drinking and some girls who had come to the house to look for him, and he assaulted her.
I called him and complained, but all he could say was that I don’t know what caused him to react that way, so I could not judge him. Now he does not answer my calls.
I have sent Priscilla to his house to call him, but he has refused to come. Unfortunately, Ben, my son is a much different person than the young boy who completed university and started work at the bank. I am really embarrassed about his treatment of Stella”.
“Joshua, let me assure you that even though what is happening is very unfortunate, it will not affect our relationship.
We have been friends since childhood, and I thought that with their parents’ blessing, the relationship between Aperkeh and Stella would grow to become a blessing to all of us. But there appears to be a real challenge now.
Stella thinks that Aperkeh wants her out of his house, and indeed Aperkeh himself told me that, about an hour ago.
So I’m taking my daughter home. I suggest that you do what you can to straighten him out, but if it does not work out, let’s accept the situation and continue to be one family.
I am sure that being the well behaved girl that she is, Stella will meet a young man who will cherish her. Fortunately, this problem is happening early in the day, so they can sort things out if possible, or move on with their lives if they are unable to stay together”.
“I’m really grateful for that, Ben. I will do my best in the next few days to reason with him, because apart from the relationship with Stella, Aperkeh is risking his job and career with this lifestyle.
A good job and salary offers an opportunity to gather momentum in life, not to destroy yourself”.
“Okay Brother Joshua. We will say goodnight. I hope to hear positive news from you”.
As he descended in the lift from the fourth to the ground floor, Aperkeh wondered who would be waiting at the reception to see him at nine on Monday morning. He had spent good time with both of his new girls during the weekend, so it had to be someone else. He got out of the lift and pulled a face when he saw Priscilla.
“Priscilla”, he said as he sat down by her, “what do you want here? You know Monday morning is a busy time at the bank. I am a very busy person, so say what you want, I have work to do”.
“You are very funny, Aperkeh. You are telling me, your sister, that you have work to do, so I should hurry up? Okay, Dad says I should advise you to come home tonight, because he wants to discuss the issue of Stella with you. He sent me to you twice, and you did not come.
He has tried to call you quite a number of times, but you have refused to answer his calls. He says that if you do not come tonight, you will be very surprised at what he will do. He says you will not like it at all, so better come.
“What is all this? Why won’t you people leave me alone? Stella is very disrespectful. I told her that if she wanted to continue to live in my house, she must obey me. It is that simple.
She chose to continue ordering me about, controlling me in my own house, so I told her that if she could not live under my conditions she should leave. And she left. In fact, her own father came and took her away. So what again?’’
“How did she disobey or control you? Was she complaining about your continuous drinking and late nights? And did you slap her on several occasions because of that? Did you tell her that if she could not live under your conditions she should leave? You actually said that to her father? You have forgotten that before she came to live with you, our two parents met and agreed, and gave it their blessing?’
“Why don’t you leave, Priscilla? I don’t have to listen to all that”. “Okay, I will go. Your father who gave birth to you and educated you to university level sends me to you, and you ask me to leave? I wish you would defy him, and refuse to come home as he’s telling you, because he is planning to give you the discipline you badly need. Let me tell you. Stella is such a beautiful and decent girl, and I assure you that someone will grab her before you say Jack. You are only 30 years old, and you have already become a drunkard”.
As he walked towards the lift, Aperkeh decided on what to do. He would go home, and calmly listen to what his father had to say. The old man was very unpredictable, and he wouldn’t dare ignore him. So he would take all the insults and threats, but as for Stella she was history. According to Priscilla, Stella was beautiful and all that, but she had not seen the two curvaceous princesses who were all over him, ready to do anything he asked. And these were not barely literate waakye girls, but university graduates from wealthy homes, really classy girls. With stuff like that, who needs a waakye girl? He smiled as he took his seat.
A few minutes to five, Aperkeh was packing up to leave for home to meet his dad when his phone rang. It was Priscilla.
“Aperkeh, Dad says you don’t need to bother to come. Stella’s dad says she came to him early this morning to plead that she would rather stay at home than return to your house. She thinks you are already decided to be rid of her, and she does not want to risk being assaulted again. So it’s done. You can go ahead and enjoy the nice life you have started”.
Before he could tell her to go to hell, Priscilla hanged up the line. He was partially stung that his dad had virtually cut him off. The last thing anyone would want was to fall out of relationship with his own family, which had always supported him.
But the truth was he was no longer interested in Stella. What was wrong with going by one’s feelings? He could only hope that one day, his parents and sister would try to reason with him.
By Ekow de Heer
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