Talensi group appeals to IGP to deal with “Commando” over alleged death threats

A group in Talensi –  “Friends of Talensi Polo (FOTPOL)” – has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to have one Paazie Naab alias “Commando” arrested and prosecuted for “unlawfully discharging a gun” in public.

Naab reportedly issued a death threat recently to Zongdan Buyak Kolog, a Talensi-based philanthropist popularly known as Polo. Kolog confirmed the said threat to journalists but Naab denied it. Hours after a Starr FM publication about the threat, a video showing Naab firing shots from a pistol in a crowded place in Talensi hit social media platforms.

In a statement issued to media houses, the pro-Polo group says “Commando” deliberately flouted the laws of the state and the law must take its course against him as it did against those who committed the same offence recently in the country.

“Even before we seek redress through the appropriate state institutions, we wish to use this medium to call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, to have the law deal rigorously with Paazie Naab aka Commando for unlawfully discharging a gun in public just as some individuals were arrested and made to face to the full rigours of the law in Ghana under the current IGP irrespective of their status or wealth for brandishing guns and for firing shots in public,” said a portion of the statement signed by the group’s Secretary, Sadique M. Buzong.

The group’s statement also gives more details about a criminal case involving “Commando” and some men at the High Court 2 in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region. Below is a full copy of the statement:

PRESS RELEASE

FRIENDS OF TALENSI POLO (FOTPOL) 

RE: PRESS STATEMENT BY PRINCE PAAZIE NAABIL AKA COMMANDO

We the Friends of Zongdan Buyak Kolog, popularly known as Polo, wish to state unequivocally that the face-saving statement authored by one suspect Paazie Naab alias Commando is misleading and embarrassing to the author and his cronies.

We also want to state that Polo is a philanthropist and also a royal of integrity and good reputation.

We have taken notice of a statement purportedly released by Commando. The statement was read and signed by one Solomon Yintota at a press conference. The statement attempts to create a false impression that Commando never did any wrong and also attempts to discredit a factual report published by Starr FM which is one of the leading credible news sources in Ghana. Let us tackle the issue one after the other:

• Paazie Naab alias Commando was arrested in 2012 with his gang namely Binaab Boazie, Suguru Naabil, Boazie Naabil alias Tiger and Berimamwe Naabil by the Upper East Regional Police Command. They were arrested for “conspiracy to commit crime, stealing, causing unlawful damage and unlawful entry” as contained in charge sheet by State Attorney in the Upper East Region. Meanwhile, investigation was conducted by the police and the police found them culpable for committing the crime and therefore forwarded the case to the Chief State Attorney in the Upper East Region for prosecution.
• Commando and his gang pleaded not guilty. Application for bail was filed on 5th February 2014 by their lawyer Mr. Joseph Dindiok Kpemka at 1:53pm at the High Court 2 in Bolgatanga. The bail application was to be moved on Friday 7th February 2014 at 9:00am. Bail was granted and they are still on bail and they have not been discharged by the court. It is therefore surprising to hear them (Commando and his gang) claim in their press statement that their case was settled and that they are not on bail. We challenge them to produce evidence of their discharge from the High Court 2 in Bolgatanga. “Crime never expires” as said by a renowned policeman.
• The accused persons (Commando and his gang) knowing the seriousness of the offence and its penalties turned to plead with the victim (Zongdan Buyak Kolog, popularly known as Polo) to forgive them and promised to pay for the items they stole. There is an audio recording in which Commando himself attested to the fact that he made a part payment of Gh¢100,000 to the victim (Polo) in 2014 as part of efforts to settle the case. This simply means he and his gang committed the offence. If they challenge our claim about this recording, we will source the recorded voice and put into the public domain.
• Again, the publication by Starr FM described Commando as a robber and not an armed robber because he forcefully broke into the residence of our friend Polo. And the question is how did Commando and his gang break into the residence of our dear friend Polo and how did they destroy his property before making away with some of his belongings? Of course, they must have violently used implements for that operation. Besides, people were around who were threatened by their presence during operation and these same people are serving as witnesses in the case.

• When Paazie Naab alias Commando prior to the publication by Starr FM was contacted for his comments over an alleged death threat he issued to our friend Talensi Polo, he denied but stated that he (Commando) warned Polo that if he stepped his foot at his (Polo’s) concession in Gbane, he would organize his boys to stop him from working on their land.
• In the light of the above, Polo was also contacted according to Starr FM before the publication. Polo, according to Starr FM, confirmed that he was issued a death threat by Commando and he (Polo) said would “seek redress at the appropriate quarters and at the right time”. We find it ridiculous to have read in Commando’s press statement that Polo “has denied knowledge of such information and the basis for the publication”. We find it even more ridiculous for the representatives of the media houses who attended Commando’s press conference to have highlighted this false claim made by Commando without ethically and diligently contacting Polo too before their publications to be certain first as to whether Polo had actually “denied knowledge of such information and the basis for the publication” as Commando claimed. It is so ridiculous that the media representatives would cause such harm to society with such misinformation in their reportage in favour of such a character who is also addressed as a “prince”. As it stands, Polo still maintains that Commando actually said he (Commando) would organize his boys to attack, beat and kill him (Polo). We ask ourselves what sorts of media representatives covered that misinformation for Citi FM and Dreamz FM. Do they know and care what this harmful misinformation means for the image of their media houses?
• Furthermore, the said “prince” Paazie Naab aka Commando flouted the laws of the state by unlawfully discharging a gun in public. This was captured on video about a month ago in the Gbane community in the Talensi District. He discharged the gun to show how powerful he is over the state. We the Friends of Talensi Polo (FOTPOL) will pursue his unlawful action with the appropriate state institutions in due course because crime never expires. But even before we seek redress through the appropriate state institutions, we wish to use this medium to call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, to have the law deal rigorously with Paazie Naab aka Commando for unlawfully discharging a gun in public just as some individuals were arrested and made to face to the full rigours of the law in Ghana under the current IGP irrespective of their status or wealth for brandishing guns and for firing shots in public.

• Our dear peace-loving friend Talensi Polo, who has touched many lives positively in Talensi and beyond, never led anyone or any group to vandalize the machines of the Chinese expatriates (Shaanxi) as claimed in the statement allegedly released by Commando and signed by one Yintota. We are in talks with our lawyers to take the appropriate measure in the law court against Commando and Yintota in the nearest possible time over this very claim that Talensi Polo “led a group of thugs into the premises of Shaanxi Mining Ghana Ltd…”.

We the Friends of Talensi Polo (FOTPOL) wish to suggest if not advise that Commando should eat the humble pie and apologise to Starr FM and Polo for the misleading, malicious, mischievous and ridiculous statement fed to the public which cannot save their faces from the embarrassment they brought upon themselves. We further suggest that Commando and his gang should pay the rest of the money (Gh¢202,660.00) within 2 weeks or we will support our big brother and friend Polo to activate the court prosecution process on the crime they committed in 2012. Crime never expires.

Attached in evidence are copies of the Charge Sheet filed on 24th January 2014 and the Motion on Notice for Bail Pending Trial filed on 5th February 2014 in relation to the crime committed by Commando and his gang.

Thank you.

……………………..

Sadique M. Buzong

Secretary

(0200782542)

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