Eight arrested for robbing miners of gold

Police in Asankragwa in the Wassa Amenfi West District of the Western Region on Saturday, arrested eight persons, who robbed miners of their gold and other items, at the Attalla mine site.

The suspects are Anas Adams, 35, George Osei, 35, George Ohene Adjei, 56, driver, and Jonathan Aryer, 28, unemployed, Agyeman Jackson, 29, unemployed, Isaac Okuampah, 29, painter, Patrick Fordjour, 29, taxi driver, and Samuel Obeng, 35, allegedly dismissed from the Ghana Army.

The Divisional Commander for Asankragwa, Chief Superintendent Nana Kumi, who confirmed the arrest to journalists, indicated that the suspects were, arrested on the Asankragwa-Wasa Dunkwa road onboard an unregistered black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, however, one Kofi Asante, who allegedly led the gang, managed to escape.

A search conducted on the vehicle revealed a vehicle number plate with registration number AS 6646-20, gold concentrate in five gallons, 15 mobile phones, various foreign currencies, and two military uniforms.

Samuel Obeng wore one of the uniforms bearing the rank of a sergeant, while Agyeman Jackson wore one bearing the rank of private.

Preliminary investigation, according to the police, revealed that the gang arrived at a mining site with some dressed in the military uniforms, assaulted the workers, handcuffed and tied them with ropes, robbed their victims of gold concentrate and fled in their vehicle, and the workers freed themselves and ran away.

The police retrieved the damaged handcuffs after workers informed them that the suspects had robbed them of their gold concentrate.

The suspects are in custody and the vehicle and items retrieved are also in police custody while investigations are ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Ghanaian Times has gathered that the Western Regional Police Command had stepped up investigations into the robbery.