The Statesman

The paper carries "NDC?s ?2.4 billion Gold Theft Headache" as its banner headline.

The story states that the February 16, 1999 highway robbery of unrefined gold near Apam in the Central Region is assuming dimensions of international proportions, much to the embarrassment of the ruling party.

According to the story, it is not only the implication of some police and military personnel that is causing a headache to the government but also the arrest Andrew Inglis a retired British Royal Marine Corp who was in charge of security at West Coast Allied Service (WESTEC), the company responsible for the security of the eight boxes of unrefined gold at the time it was seized, nearly caused a diplomatic row between Ghana and Britain.

Mr Inglis was detained for about six weeks and was released only when the British took up his forcing the British High Commissioner to press government for his release.

The paper continued that a retired soldier Isaac Frimpong also known as Nii Baby Tei confessed to the involvement of Jack Beble, a former Police commando and a Rawlings aid, as one of the major brain behind the robbery.

The paper concluded that the incident has itself led to questions about whether increasing spate of armed robbery not being carried out with the connivance of some bad nuts from the security services.