5 kidnappers remanded in police custody in Kete Krachi

Five Fulani herdsmen, who allegedly kidnapped two teenagers and demanded a ransom of GH¢200,000 from their parents, have been remanded into police custody by the Kete Krachi Magistrate Court, in the Oti Region.

The court presided over by Mr Ben Attobrah, remanded Sule Kassim, 28, Sameko Kaduna, 28, Kassim Koron, 18, Gariba Mbonge and Sanda Abubakar, who would re-appear in court on August 18, 2021.

The acting Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Oti Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) John Nchor, disclosed these to Ghanaian Times, in a telephone, interview, yesterday.

He said Ali Mohammed, father of the two teenagers, reported to the Chinderi District Police Command that his two children took cattle for grazing, but did not return.

ASP Nchor stated that the complainant informed the police that his 16-year-old son, escaped from Malla, near Borea, while being taken to an unknown destination by kidnappers, and investigations led to the arrest of three Fulani herdsmen.

The Police PRO stated that the alleged kidnappers demanded a ransom of GH¢200,000.00 on the other 12-year-old boy.

ASP Nchor said patrol team drawn from Oti Regional Police Operational Unit, the Counter Terrorism Unit from the Police Headquarters, Accra, and Kete Krachi Divisional Police was dispatched to Chinderi to assist the District Police Command, to rescue the victim and apprehend the captors.

He said afterwards the 12-year-old was rescued at Techiakura, near Ehiamankyene in the Krachi West District, and arrested Gariba Mbonge, 20, and Sanda Abubakar, 27, all Fulanis, in connection with the crime.

ASP Nchor said a cutlass, four mobile phones with Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards used to make the call to demand ransom were retrieved from the suspects.

He said a medical form had been issued to the father to take the children to the hospital for treatment.

BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI