MP SAVES THIEF FROM BEING LYNCHED (Page 29)

Story: Rose Hayford Darko
& Anasthasia Dzovor, Ashaiman

The Member of Parliament for Kpone-Katamanso, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, saved 19-year-old Ahmed Manga from being lynched by a mob at Kubekro near Ashaiman when he attempted to escape in a taxi with seven sheep he and some accomplices had stolen from some individual farms at Apollonia. Nii Afotey Agbo, with the help of some residents of the area, handed Manga over to the police at Ashaiman.
Manga’s accomplices, however, managed to escape but the driver of the taxi used for the operation was apprehended.
The Ashaiman Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police Frank Awu, told the press that the taxi driver, Ernest Asare, 32, was on Wednesday January 23, 2008 returning from Katamanso at about 4.30 a.m. when Ahmed and another person stopped him and requested for his assistance to convey the sheep to Ashaiman. The driver consented and charged them GH¢15 for the service.
According to the Ashaiman District Commander, when the driver drove off some people who saw the thieves join the taxi stopped the vehicle at Kubekro but the driver failed to stop.
This infuriated the people who had then increased in their number. They chased and attacked the taxi and its passengers.
Word about the theft quickly went round the villages in the vicinity and the Member of Parliament, who was at Katamanso, rushed to the scene and rescued the suspects but Managa’s accomplices absconded.
He said Manga was on the police list of wanted criminals and could not be said to be a novice in robbing people.
Many people trooped to the police station and pointed at Manga as someone who had robbed them before.
Police investigations continue into his past and present robbery activities.
Later in an interview, a resident of the area, Mr Adjei Evans, said the people were livestock farmers and the theft of the animals was on the ascendancy. This led to the formation of a watchdog committee to provide security for the people, their animals and other property.
He said members of the watchdog committee spotted the suspects during their rounds.