The Director of Operation for Accra Regional Police Command ASP Kwesi Ofori has assured motorists who use the Fiesta Royal-GIMPA bypass that security has been enhanced on the stretch. He said the command will go at all lengths to ensure that stretch of the road remain safe for the users.
Fiesta Royale – GIMPA bypass has become hot spot for robbery especially at late nights. The perpetrators take siege in the bushes around the stretch and when their victims are approaching, they emerge from the bush to carry out their act.
Flooded by avalanche of reports from robbery victims, the Accra regional Command launched an investigation which led to arrest of some of the suspected robbers.
On Saturday night June 12, 2021, Police shot and injured a suspect during a robbery operation at the same stretch. This followed a tip off from a taxi driver who has been robbed. The suspect after seeing the Police, fled but was caught by bullet when the officers opened fire.
Addressing the media after the arrest, Public Relations Officer of Accra Regional Command DSP Effia Tenge blamed the trend on the vast nature of the Achimota forest, which she said serves as a hideout for the criminals and other factors, including poor lighting in the area.
However, the Command said it has put in place a number of strategies to ensure that the Fiesta Royale – GIMPA bypass remains safe. The Director of Operation for Accra Regional Police Command ASP Kwesi Ofori said “number of checkpoints have been increased and there are officers that have been detailed to patrol using Motorbikes for quicker responses”
“I can say so far we have made some arrests and we have a lot of dossiers on those arrests we have made. We will not relent until we flush them out of there. So as it is now, I can assure that the roads are now safe at anytime”
ASP Kwesi Ofori has also indicated that since Policing is a shared responsibility, “we will continue to liaise with the residents in around the forest for information, to help us drive away the criminals from that neighborhood”
I want to send message to those who go into the forest to attack people that we will meet them with appropriate force, and we will apply the force to deal with them, he said in an interview.
