The Kpone District Police Command has arrested an alleged Togolese, Elvis Kweku Segla, who attempted to register at the ongoing voter registration exercise here.
Segla was first arrested Wednesday July 8, by some persons who suspected that he was not a Ghanaian, whilst in the queue at the Atta Saki Assemblies of God Church Registration Centre, and sent to the Kpone District Police Command.
Briefing the Ghanaian Times, the Tema Regional Police Crime Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Paul Kissi Frimpong said after initial investigation, by the Kpone District Police, the suspect was transferred to the Tema Regional Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters on July 10.
ACP Frimpong said upon interrogation, the suspect indicated that he was born to a Togolese mother and a Ghanaian father in Togo, where he had lived all his life until he came to Ghana six years ago to work.
The Tema Regional Crime Officer said Segla was subsequently charged for attempting to register and would be arraigned soon.
However, the Kpone Katamanso Constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by its parliamentary candidate, Joseph Tetteh last Sunday demanded the immediate release of Segla from police custody, claiming the suspect is a Ghanaian.
Mr Tetteh accused his opponent, Hopeson Adorye of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of using the police to intimidate persons who wish to register, “which should not be encouraged else the NDC would be forced to face them squarely.”
Mr Adorye on the other hand said his party agents were just being vigilant to ensure that only qualified Ghanaians register for the December 7 polls.
He claimed that Segla had admitted upon his arrest that he was a Togolese who needed the Voter ID card for business, and not for voting, but they handed him over to the police because his action was illegal.
The NPP parliamentary candidate said he was only being a patriotic candidate “to ensure there is a credible register for the elections, and could not understand why the NDC was unhappy with the arrest of Segla.
FROM DZIFA TETTEH, KPONE
