THE GHANA Armed Forces has stated emphatically that a suspected robber, dressed in military uniform, who attempted to engage in a robbery activity at a mining site at Nyamesom near Obuasi, is not a military officer.
“The attention of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has been drawn to a news item by Mynewsgh.com on Monday, March 25, 2024, about an attempted robbery at a mining site at Nyamesom in the Ashanti Region by a 27-year-old man alleged to be a soldier of the Ghana Armed Forces.
“Our investigation shows that the alleged suspect is not a soldier of GAF, neither has the institution deployed the said identified person to perform such duties at the said mining site. He has no ties whatsoever with GAF,” a statement from GAF said.
Authored and signed by Brigadier General, E Aggrey-Quashie, Director General, Public Affairs of GAF, the statement, dated March 25, 2024, warned people who use military accoutrements without authorisation that they would be severely dealt with by the law when caught.
Failed Robbery
The 27-year-old suspect was said to be among a group of four people (all males), who were all dressed in military uniforms and carrying offensive weapons. They stormed the mining site, ostensibly, to rob some innocent people of their precious gold.
However, luck eluded the 27-year-old as he was apprehended by the local people, who suspected that the group were fake soldiers. The three members of the group, however, managed to escape from the scene.
The nabbed fake soldier upon interrogation by his captors, insisted that he was a genuine soldier. He then gave his name as Lance Corporal Opoku Eric, and he is stationed at Tamale in the Northern Region, adding that his runaway colleagues were also soldiers.
According to his captors, he said the armed group decided to storm the mining area with pump action guns and other offensive weapons to solicit for money from the miners for their upkeep. He was later handed over to the police with his pump action gun and a knife.
GAF Statement
However, the Ghana Armed Force’s statement pointed out that the nabbed soldier was fake, admonishing the media to always cross check information before publishing stories about people who are arrested in military uniforms, in order not to dent the image of GAF.
“Once again, we call on media operators to cross check their information with the Department of Public Relations before publishing stories that end up tarnishing the image of GAF,” the release said, urging the public to report suspicious people in military uniforms for their arrest.
Police Chases 3 Suspects
Meanwhile, the police in the Ashanti Region are on the heels of the three other suspected fake soldiers, who managed to escape arrest and have since gone into hiding.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
