According to a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service, Anderson, who is currently unemployed, was apprehended on 5 April at a hideout in Atasemanso, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The suspect is reported to use multiple aliases, including Nana Abeka, Essel Kofi Elvis, and Wilson Kojo Bismark.
The police further disclosed that another individual linked to the crime, identified as Gideon Baah, is currently at large.
Preliminary investigations revealed that on 25 March, Anderson allegedly contacted a car rental partner of the complainant and fraudulently rented a Hyundai Elantra with registration number GT 114-25.
Police explained that the suspect used forged ECOWAS identity and driver’s licence cards—bearing different names but his own photograph—to deceive the rental agent into handing over the vehicle at Community 25. He reportedly failed to return the car and disabled its tracking system, raising suspicions.
The police stated that further investigations uncovered Anderson’s involvement in a broader criminal syndicate responsible for the theft of multiple vehicles between January and March 2025.
The statement indicated that the syndicate employed similar fraudulent methods to steal a Kia Forte at Haatso, a Honda Civic at Amasaman, and a Kia Ultima at Spintex, all within the Greater Accra Region.
Police added that Anderson admitted to receiving GH¢4,000 for each of the stolen vehicles.
Following his arrest, the suspect reportedly led police officers to a residence in Millennium City, believed to be the hideout of Gideon Baah, also known as Nana. However, Baah was not found at the location.
The police confirmed that Anderson has since been arraigned before the court, and investigations into the case are ongoing. They assured the public that efforts are underway to apprehend Gideon Baah and dismantle the entire syndicate.
See the statement on Facebook below;
What is the way forward and what does the law say on arrest?
The law on arrest is clear. This clarity can be found in the Constitution as well as the Criminal and Other Offences Procedure Act, 1960(Act 30).
The Constitution in article 14(2) provides that:
A person who is arrested, restricted or detained shall be informed immediately, in a language that he understands, of the reasons for his arrest, restriction or detention and of his right to a lawyer of his choice.
Thus, by this provision, the police are under an obligation to inform a person of the reasons for his/her arrest, failure to do so would render such an arrest unlawful. But this failure to inform a person detained of the reasons for his detention would not render such detention unlawful if the person so detained himself produced a situation which made it practically impossible for him/her to be informed of the reasons for his arrest. An example is where an accused uses force in order to evade an arrest or where he is escaping from lawful custody. These are the principles that must guide every arrest made by the police or even a private person as the circumstances may be.
Having effected an arrest, the 1992 constitution under artcle 14(3(b) provides that :
a person who is arrested, restricted or detained upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed or being about to commit a criminal offence under the laws of Ghana, and who is not released, shall be brought before a court within forty eight hours after the arrest, restriction or detention.
By virtue of this provision, the police must bring any person arrested before a court within 48 hours after the arrest, otherwise he/she must be released either conditionally or unconditionally if not tried within a reasonable time as provided by artcle 14(4) 0f the constitution. This is to allow the court to determine whether or not to continue with the detention or to grant him bail. This was the decision of the Supreme Court in Martin Kpebu v The Attorney-General. The court in this case noted that:
The expression “within forty-eight hours” in Article 14(3) of the Constitution includes all days – public holidays, weekends, periods of strike action or civil unrest, subject to the reasonable assurance of the safety and security of Judicial Officers and Service Staff. Court Services must be available on the aforementioned days to determine issues pertaining to personal liberty, in due compliance with Article 14(3) of the Constitution.
This decision underscores the importance of safeguarding individual’s liberties and ensuring that they are not unlawfully detained by making it clear that in reckoning the 48 hours, all days are to be counted. Any breach of these provisions will render the arrest, restriction or detention unlawful and the person so detained will be entitled to compensation from that other person. This is the substance of article 14(5) of the constitution which reads: a person who is unlawfully arrested, restricted or detained by any other person shall be entitled to compensation from that other person.
However, it must be noted that the grant of bail is not automatic but at the discretion of the court. In essence, the primary duty of a court is to ensure that an accused when granted bail will appear and stand for his trial.
In conclusion, the above is the current stature of the law on arrest in Ghana and where the accused is denied bail, she/he will continue to be in police custody until charges are pressed against him/her and brought before a court of competent jurisdiction for trial to begin.
Graphic Online By Jemima Okang Addae / 2 minutes read
