ASHANTI LOSES GH¢94,421,264 THROUGH ARMED ROBBERY ...From January to June (SEPT 19, 2009, PAGE 23)

BETWEEN January and June, this year, as much as GH¢94,421,264 was lost through armed robbery operations, burglary and stealing.
The police were able to recover GH¢5,550,324 of the total amount lost through various robbery operations during the same period.
In all, a total of 120 robbery cases in residential areas, streets, highways and vehicular snatching, among others, were reported during that period.
These were contained in a police report on crime statistics in the Ashanti Region signed by the Regional Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Mohammed Yusif Tanko, and made available to the Daily Graphic in Kumasi.
The report said a total of 69 robbery cases were recorded on streets, highways and residential areas in the region between January and March, this year, but the crime reduced to 51 cases between April and June.
On fraud, Chief Inspector Tanko said between January and June this year, a total of GH¢966,922 was lost through extortion, falsification of accounts, forgery, counterfeiting and issuing of dud cheques in the region.
He said the police were able to recover GH¢67,957 of the amount.
Giving the breakdown of the money lost through fraudulent activities, Chief Inspector Tanko said between January and March, this year, as much as GH¢802,461 was lost through fraud but through intensive investigations, the police were able to recover GH¢50,897.
He said the total amount of money lost through fraudulent activities, however, reduced to GH¢164,461 between April and June with police recovering a total of GH¢17,060.
According to the Police PRO, a total of 1,731 people suspected to have undertaken various criminal activities in the region such as armed robbery, burglary, stealing and attempted robbery were arrested between January and June.
He stated that while a total of 945 suspected criminals were arrested between January and March, this year, 786 of such criminals were arrested between March and June .
On rape, Chief Inspector Tanko said a total of 57 women fell victim to the crime in the region between January and June, this year.
He said while 28 females were raped between January and March, 29 others were sexually abused by their male counterparts between April and June, this year.
Chief Inspector Tanko said a total of 174 girls were also defiled in the region between January and June, this year, stressing that 72 others were defiled between January and March, but the number shot up to 102 between April and June.
He said so far, the police had been able to arrest 23 of the suspected rapists and five of them whose cases had been investigated had been convicted to serve various prison terms.
On defilement, Chief Inspector Tanko said 70 suspects were arrested between January and June, this year, adding that 11 of them had been jailed.