Man Arrested For Threatening Bernard Mornah (Photo)

A 24-year-old man believed to be behind the threats on the life of Mr Bernard Mornah, the General Secretary of the People�s National Convention (PNC), has been arrested. Suraga Elyas, alias Dove, a student of Abro Media Institute at Dansoman in Accra, was arrested by the Homicide Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service. The suspect, who exchanged a number of text messages on his mobile phone with Mr Mornah, issued the threats through the same means. Text Messages The Public Relations Officer of the CID, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr Joseph B. Darkwa, who briefed the Daily Graphic, said the suspect claimed to be a member of the campaign team of Mr Mornah during the PNC�s national executive elections. He said Mr Mornah had reported to the police that he had received text messages on his mobile phone from another mobile number whose owner�s identity he could not tell, since he had not saved it on his phone. The first message read: �The Member of Parliament (MP) has said that you are a threat to him and that we should eliminated you but I will not do it because I admire you. In view of that, pay me GH�10,000.� Mr Mornah is said to have told the police that he replied with another text message in which he indicated that he had no funds to give to the sender, since he did not see himself as a threat. A few minutes later, the PNC General Secretary received another text message which said, �Call me before close of day.� Mr Mornah said he ignored the last text message. However, the next day, November 9, 2013, another message was sent to him at 10:32 a.m. and the same message was re-sent at 10:49 a.m. which asked Mr Mornah to call the sender before the end of the day. To that, Mr Mornah sent a reply asking the sender who he was and that he could not send the money since it was a weekend. The sender then sent another text message to inform Mr Mornah that his mobile number would be available until the next Monday so he could call him anytime. Kan-Dapaah Attack A new text message alleged to have been sent by the suspect said, �I led the attack on Mr Kan-Dapaah. Ask him and he would tell you about the operation.� The message continued that in 2011 there was a plan to abduct Mr Mornah but he travelled to Russia and then a decision was taken to abduct his family to compel him not to contest the PNC elections. Mr Mornah then replied that if that was the case then the said elections were over and so there was no need for him to be seen as a threat. The reply from the sender of the threatening text said, �You still remain a threat. A group has been contracted to execute the plan.� The suspect is said to have told Mr Mornah through a text message that he was the one preventing the group from executing the contract and so he should be paid the money demanded. Court Permit Following the complaint on the threat on Mr Mornah�s life, the police went to court to secure a permit to obtain the call history of the number issuing the threats from the telecommunication network. The number was then traced to Elyas, which led to his arrest yesterday. The suspect, in his caution statement at the CID Headquarters, admitted the offence and said he wanted some money for his school fees. Though a charge had not yet been preferred against the suspect, Mr Darkwa said Elyas would be put before court today.