25 Motoriders convicted out of 1,049 Clamp Down by the Greater Accra Regional Police Command

At least, 137 of the riders have been put before court, with 25 of them already convicted out of 1,049 motorbikes clamp down on activities of suspected criminals.

The Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Afful Boakye Yiadom, briefing the media, said a total of 288 dockets were prepared out of a total of 1049 persons who were arrested, adding that “about 137 persons were sent to court and a total of GH¢29,380 imposed on those fined.”

The exercise, which was undertaken in all the 14 divisional commands of the Accra Regional Police Command, targeted unregistered motorbikes and the illegal use of motorbikes for commercial purposes, popularly known as okada.

Riders soliciting for passengers, riding without helmets, licences or insurance were arrested.

The areas covered included Tesano, Madina, Kwabenya,Nungua, Anyah, Kaneshie, Pokuase, La, Baatsona, Achimota Mile 7 and Airport.

DCOP Boakye Yiadom, Greater Accra Regional commander, revealed to Ghana News Agency that, 95 of the cases were still under investigations, while 18 persons, who failed to report to the police, were being hunted for.

“The police had also secured bench warrants for 17 persons who failed to appear before the court, while warning letters had been issued to 31 persons ” he said.

The Kaneshie Divisional Police Command impounded the highest number of motorbikes of 65, while the Anyah District Police Command, under the Odorkor Divisional Command, arrested the least of 16 motorbikes.

Those arrested were screened and profiled before the riders, who were found culpable, were processed for court.

The convicts were part of those arrested by personnel of the Accra Regional Police Command in a special operation organised early this month.

“The command was not against the use of motorbikes within the metropolis, but those using them must properly acquire the requisite gears, and obey traffic regulations” DCOP Yiadom, said .

OPERATIONS
The week-long operation was directed by the Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner Of Police (DCOP) Aful Boakye Yiadom.

The Regional Police Commander said the operation also aimed at arresting criminals who used bikes to snatch bags from unsuspecting residents and visited mayhem on them at the least resistance.

He revealed that Tesano Police arrested a total of 29 suspects, Madina, 40; Kwabenya, 30; Kpeshie, 20; Korle-Bu, 34; Accra Central 83; Dansoman, 62; Nima, 60; Mamprobi, 38; and Lakeside, 15.

The others are Oyibi, 20; Weija Amanfrom, 62; Adabraka, 22; Anyaa, 16; James Town, 20; Kaneshie, 65; Cantonment, 31; East Legon, 23; Sakumono, 25; Adenta, 21; Osu, 45; Odorkor, 35; Amasaman, 36; Pokuase, 29; La, 46; Baatsona, 32; Mile 7, 52, and Airport, 57.

Mr Boakye Yiadom expressed the hope that the exercise would serve as a warning to people to stop defying regulations on motorcycles.

“We appeal to motorcyclists to stop violating the law on the use of motorbikes,” he said, and warned that the exercise had not ended”.

A commercial motorbike operator, who gave his name as Mustaf Alhassan, said “l know our operations are banned, but we have to survive. I witnessed the police operation at La and l quickly made a U-turn to avoid being arrested. I went home to sleep, and l have since not been able to operate as an okada rider”.

He, however, questioned the use of excessive force by the police and the indiscriminate seizure of their motorcycles, saying “not all riders indulge in crime”.

By Shiela Satori Mensah