Mass rape on passenger bus report is false – Police

The Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Kwesi Ofori has dismissed as false, reports that a gang of armed robbers attacked a Tamale bound bus and at gun point forced male passengers on the bus to rape their female colleagues.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, October 29, Superintendent Kwesi Ofori said the origin of the story which has created some panic among a section of the public is suspicious adding that investigations are still on-going to ascertain the actual truth.

“It is not true, we are going to investigate where that story came from, the police headquarters liaise with the Brong Ahafo Police commander, Mr Oteng and he said nothing of that sort has been reported to the Police, we went round and around contacting GPRTU personnel and the very Kintampo community and it seems for now that nobody has surfaced that he or she was raped”.

On Wednesday, October 27, it was reported that armed robbers forced male passengers aboard a Tamale-bound bus from Accra to have sex with female passengers after robbing them of virtually everything.

Amina, an eyewitness who narrated the incident to a Private Radio Station in Accra said the horrifying experience occurred on Monday, October 11, 2010 between the hours of 1am and 2 am at a spot near Kintampo where the armed robbers struck.

She said the heartless gang forced a man to break her own daughter’s virginity as they poked guns at his head to have sex with the about 14-year-old girl or pay with his life. The driver of the bus on his part was handed five women to have sex with for trying to escape when the robbers tried stopping the bus initially. He was later revived with water.

She added that a female passenger on the bus was spared because she was in her menstrual period but without receiving some slaps from the gang.

However, Supt Kwesi Ofori told Moro Awudu, host of the Citi Breakfast Show that the Police has not recorded any such case. He said the Brong Ahafo Regional Police command has been working directly with Police Headquarters in Accra and maintains that they have no knowledge of such an incident.

According to him, the Police has patrolled the whole township and the area where the gory incident is alleged to have taken place and nothing was recorded.

He urged the public to be forthcoming with evidence to assist the police to arrest the criminals.

Supt. Ofori added that the Police Service would also work closely with the private radio station where the story was reported to produce the eyewitness to aid in investigations.

He assured the public that the Police Service is doing its best to ensure maximum security and the safety of movement of all in the country.

By Kobina Welsing/Citifmonline.com