The Ghana Police Service has arrested twenty-eight (28) youths at identified ghettos within the New Juaben South Municipality of the Eastern Region as part of intensified security operations.
The suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in various criminal activities, including gambling, the use and trafficking of narcotic drugs, and the sale of unauthorized pharmaceutical products.
Addressing the media at a press briefing in Koforidua, the Municipal Police Commander for New Juaben South, Superintendent Ransford Nsiah, stated that the arrests followed enhanced security measures implemented during the festive season.
He explained that the command intensified patrols using diverse operational strategies to improve safety within the municipality.
According to him, plain-clothes police personnel were integrated into routine patrols to strengthen surveillance and improve the detection of criminal activities. These efforts led to the arrest of the 28 suspects at various ghettos across the municipality.
All suspects were screened and profiled. Those found culpable have been arraigned before court, while investigations continue into the remaining cases.
In a related development, the Police also arrested a suspect believed to be behind a series of shop break-ins within the municipality.
The suspect, identified as Ibrahim Mutawakiru, aged 33, hails from Hohoe and is known to operate in Nkawkaw, Koforidua, and Accra.
Investigations revealed that the suspect’s modus operandi involved travelling to targeted towns, conducting surveillance, and identifying shops or stores vulnerable to attack. He would then break portions of the roofing sheets and gain access to the premises through the ceiling.
Police disclosed that Ibrahim Mutawakiru arrived in Koforidua on December 17, 2025, and conducted surveillance for eleven (11) days.
He identified ten (10) shops along Legend Street in the Adwenpa Curtain area, including a rural bank and a forex bureau, as targets. He planned to carry out the operation over three days, beginning on Saturday, December 27, 2025.
The suspect intended to access the ceiling on Saturday night, break into the shops on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and exit in the early hours of Monday, December 29, 2025. However, at about 3:00 a.m. on Monday, he was unable to exit after noticing police officers on foot patrol in the area.
At approximately 6:00 a.m., one of the shop owners opened his shop and discovered that it had been ransacked.
The incident was immediately reported to the police. Upon visiting the scene and conducting an inspection, officers suspected that the suspect might still be hiding within the ceiling.
A thorough search led to the arrest of Ibrahim Mutawakiru, who was found hiding above the reinforced concrete ceiling of a bank, which he had been unable to breach.
During the arrest, police retrieved a sack containing various tools believed to have been used in carrying out the criminal activities.
The items included two hacksaw blades, a hammer, a metal punch, two screwdrivers, a crowbar, assorted keys, a pair of pliers, a keypad mobile phone, a pair of scissors, a grinding machine, two grinding wheels, three wooden hammer handles, and cash amounting to GH¢9,133.00. All items have been retained as exhibits to aid investigations.
The suspect is currently in police custody, assisting with investigations, and will be put before court.
The New Juaben South Police Command has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property, especially during the festive season.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Nhyiraba Solomon Nartey
