Report by Konadu Yiadom
In recent months, the theft of billboards and flex banners has become alarmingly rampant across Ghana. These large advertising structures, meant to serve as vital communication tools, are being targeted by criminals who cut them down and sell them off. The latest incident has raised serious concerns about the enforcement of justice and the role of law enforcement in tackling this growing menace.
On Saturday, January 25, 2025, PG Outdoor System, a leading outdoor advertising company, discovered that one of its billboards at Aburi Star Oil, popularly known as Y Junction, had been completely uprooted. Both the flex material and the metal structure were stolen, leaving behind a vacant space where the advertisement once stood.
Investigations revealed that the theft was executed by a group that arrived at the location the previous night with a crane. CCTV footage from a nearby filling station captured the vehicle used in the operation, providing crucial evidence for tracking down the perpetrators.
Following the trail, authorities traced the crane and its driver to Achimota. Upon interrogation, the driver admitted to transporting the stolen billboard and led investigators to the buyer, Destiny Roofing Company. The company had purchased the structure and then identified the seller as Paul Osum, also known as Taye.
On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, law enforcement officials arrested Osum and detained him at the Lafa Mallam Police Station. Inspector Wisdom, the assigned CID officer, was urged to expedite legal proceedings to bring the suspect before the court. However, he insisted that approval from the district commander was required before taking further action. Despite concerns about unnecessary delays, assurances were given that due process would be followed.
Further inquiries uncovered shocking details: Osum was already wanted in Takoradi for similar crimes. On Friday, March 3, 2023, the suspect and his group stole a billboard belonging to Eco Creatives, a company in Accra, and sold it to XCMG, another company also based in Accra. The company was later invited by the Takoradi Market Circle police, where they confirmed that they had indeed awarded a billboard contract to Osum. Investigations revealed that Osum and his associates resized the stolen board and reinstalled it at Egyam, a suburb in Ahanta West in the Western Region of Ghana.
The CID, Mrs. Irene, at the Takoradi Market Circle Police Station instructed that Osum should not be granted bail, citing his repeated history of arrests for the same offense and how he has been declared wanted. Despite these warnings, the CID at Lafa Mallam Police Station released him on bail on Friday, January 31, 2025, with orders to report back on Monday, February 3, 2025.
As feared, Osum failed to appear at the station on the specified date. His phone remains switched off, and he has not been seen by family or associates since his release. This case raises serious concerns about some law enforcement practices. How could a suspect with a history of repeated offenses, flagged by another police department, be allowed to walk free? The decision to release such an individual, despite clear warnings, has caused some out-of-home (OOH) business owners to escalate the matter to higher corridors of the national security system.
