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
Features
The Prophet part 4
Antobam woke up with a terrible headache. He checked the time on his mobile phone, 2:30 am. “What! Where is the money?” He asked aloud. “Where are those girls? Why did I drink so much of that whisky? What were those two girls up to?” He sat up on the bed and noticed a bulge close to the pillow.
He lifted the mattress and picked up the newspaper wrappers with the neatly arranged notes. He saw the neatly written record of the value of the notes. No, those girls are not thieves.
“It was my mistake. If I hadn’t drank myself to sleep they would be here in bed with me, giving me the time of my life. Pretty girls, those two. And so loyal and honest. Tomorrow will be different.”
“I will not drink any whisky, and I will show them that I am a real man. Just then he heard the whispers. Very soon it will be time, they seemed to be saying. This is an important day.”
The gold dealer will bring lots of money. Give him some of the liquid to drink, and we will prepare him. He will do very big business, and he will give you anything you ask for. There will be more miracles and testimonies today.
Antobam smiled to himself. “I am going to be a very rich man in only a few days man. Money, power, and women. Wow! Antobam got to the grounds at 5, but there were quite a number of people waiting.
Mr Kwame Dofu was among them. He greeted them all, and they came around to shake his hand. “My brothers and sisters, I assure you that whatever your problem is, you will not go home without a solution.” Shouts of “Amen” “thank” you Osofo and “you are a true man of God” responded.
“Please take your seats, and start talking to the great one about whatever bothers you. Before the service is over, there will be a solution.” He waved Mr Dofu over, and went with him to the wooden structure that serves as a temporary office.
“My brother, I have done quite a lot of work on the issue you came to see me about. I have prepared a special, powerful package for you. Take this, drink it, and go back to your business. I want to see you in two weeks.”
Beaming with smiles, Mr Dofu drank the foul smelling liquid in two gulps, said a big thank you to Antobam and took his leave. “I believe you, Papa Osofo. And I assure you that I will reward you, big time.”
Just when Osofo Antubam finished with Mr Dofu, Mary and Suzzie went over to him. “Good Morning ladies. I am very sorry about yesterday. I drank too much of the stuff you gave me. Today will be different, I assure you.”
“Don’t worry, Osofo. Since you are now setting things up, our main concern now is to help you to put things in place, and to make you comfortable. We are always there to serve you. This morning, Osofo, we want to go and clean up your place, and prepare something nice for you when you close.
And before coming to church, we will pass by the bank and collect the forms. After you have signed them, the account will be open. You can check the payments anytime and, of course, issue cheques whenever you need money.”
“Suzzie and Mary, I am happy I picked the two of you from the very start. Listen, I will take good care of you, okay? Here is some money. Buy whatever you need for the errands you have mentioned.
And here is the key. Please come back as early as you can. You know I need you here.” The service was very lively. The lively singing of praise songs was followed by one and a half hours of testimonies.
Most of them related to money – big sales, new jobs and overdue debts paid. But there were also testimonies about healing. Barren women had taken seed, and, of course, several men who had lost their bedroom authority had regained them, to the delight of their partners.
As he had promised, Antobam preached for only 30 minutes, exhorting the congregation to attend church regularly, pay their tithes and offerings, and strictly follow his ‘directions’ for securing solutions to their problems.
After another round of praises during which the congregation danced to the floor to drop their offering, he closed the service, grabbed the big bowl which was full to the brim with money, and moved to his desk. A long queue was quickly formed at the desk.
Meanwhile, Mary and Suzzie had gone to give Antobam’s place quite a decent look. A new bedsheet and pillows, a secondhand carpet and four plastic chairs placed in the verandah had done the trick.
They also prepared two fish and chicken stews. After all these, they rushed to the National Savings Bank and collected application forms for opening current and savings accounts.
They joined the service a few minutes before the main session closed. Antobam looked round and saw, to his relief, Mary and Suzzie moving towards him. “Hello ladies. What have you been up to?” “Quite a bit, Osofo. We’ve just collected your drink. Here you are. We’ve made a few changes at your place. I think you will like it. You will also have something nice to eat. Now, here are the forms for the savings and current accounts.
If you will sign them, the bank will open the account. From today, we can pay all monies direct into the account.” ‘How can I thank you, ladies?” “You don’t need to thank us,” Suzzie said. “It is our duty to help a man of God succeed.” “Okay, my ladies, please take the offerings and count them as you did yesterday.
You can add the payments made after the consultations. Will it be possible to pay them into the account today?” “Yes,” Mary said. “The bank closes at four. If we leave here at three, we would be there just in time.”
The two friends started counting, as Osofo Antobam gave his clients his directions for solving their problems. On quite a few occasions he closed his eyes as if he was receiving direction from above on what to do.
But as the fetish priest at the Nana Kofi Broni shrine and the dwarfs had assured him, the solutions would certainly be provided. Having heard the huge testimonies earlier in the day, the clients parted with substantial sums of money in expectation.
By Ekow de Heer
Features
The issue of spiritual father in our churches
A student was supposed to go to school as the natural cause of events should be when universities or schools in general opens but this was not the case in a certain young man’s life.
He decided to postpone his trip because apparently he could not get to meet his pastor, his spiritual father. The question is, should this spiritual father die, will the young man’s life come to an end?
Does it mean in such an instance, he is going to curtail his education? This is a worrying trend in a lot of churches where the pastors use this notion of spiritual father to manipulate members especially the youth.
Some unscrupulous pastors utilise this spiritual father concept to have affairs with gullible young ladies in their churches.
Now with homosexuality gradually making inroads into some of the churches, young men are becoming vulnerable to pastors who have hidden homosexual inclinations.
This spiritual father concept is a Biblical concept that runs through both the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. We see it in 2 Kings 4:12 where Gehazi is serving Elisha and also in the New Testament we see Paul relating to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:2 as a Spiritual Father.
In fact, the concept of spiritual father is a good thing if executed according to the word of God since it helps in guiding the younger ones. However, it becomes problematic when it is being executed by unscrupulous wolves in sheepskins as described by Jesus in Mathew 7:15.
I see it as a way that these unscrupulous so-called men of God maintain their hold on the congregants so they do not question their unchristian actions.
One of the things I have observed since I got born again many years ago is that, any pastor who often insists that members recognise that he is their spiritual father is a warning sign that he is doing some wrong things or is about to indulge in some wrong things.
A parent complained about how his daughter was being influenced by a pastor of the church she attends and how worried he was. I am sure there are many parents out there with stories to tell about how their wards are being made to see their pastors almost like their Jesus.
These pastors have managed to make their congregants so loyal to them and to believe in them so much that it is terrifying, as a parent.
The way things are going, an immediate intervention is required otherwise I am not a prophet of doom but I forsee unfortunate instances where parents burst into church auditoriums and star shooting some Pastors out of frustration and anger.
We cannot look on unconcerned as a society and allow unscrupulous fraudsters using the name of God to create problems for families. My recommendation is for a certain amount of regulation in order to bring some sanity in religious practices.
I agree that ordinarily regulating religious practices makes it a bit restrictive in terms of freedom of worship as enshrined in our constitution but given the way things are going, a bit of regulation will not be out of place.
Disgusting stuff are being attributed to some men of God. There are cases of manipulation of young ladies and sometimes married women by so called men of God and it is bringing Christianity and therefore the name of the Lord into disrepute.
Christianity is gradually losing its attractiveness as a result of the negative reportage resulting from disgusting stuff happening in Christian circles. The way some pastors have been manipulating congregants to take money from them leaves much to be desired to the point where they are convincing some of the youth to give out their phones. May God help us.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
