THE BODIES of the two uniformed policemen, who got drowned in the Oda River whilst on official duty on Wednesday in the Ashanti Region, have finally been retrieved after several hours of wild search by experienced swimmers.
The two deceased officers, who are corporals, have been identified as No. 48515 G/L/Cpl. Stephen Kyeremeh and No. 50287 G/L/Cpl. Amedius Akwesi Boateng.
A post on the official website of the Ghana Police Service read, “Update: Suspected Drowning of Two Police Officers. The bodies of two Police Officers have been retrieved from the Oda River. Investigations still ongoing (sic).”
Drowning Incident
Last Wednesday, four policemen, including two deceased corporals and two sergeants, identified as No. 36040 G/Sgt. Isaac Nyamekye and No. 39708 G/Sgt. James Ahiman, who are all stationed at the Obuasi District Police Command, were in a canoe crossing a river when it reportedly capsized.
The two sergeants, according to police report, managed to swim ashore but, unfortunately, the two corporals got drowned in the process.
The heartbreaking incident reportedly happened on the Oda River at Kobro, near Jacobu in the Amansie Central District.
A search team of experienced swimmers were quickly dispatched to the scene, but they could not find the missing policemen immediately.
Police Confirmation
The Ghana Police Service quickly posted on its official website about the accident and also announced that efforts were being made to save the lives of the two cops, who were missing at the time.
The police report titled “Missing persons, July 15, 2020 about 1:00pm, Kobro near Jacobu” said “No. 48515 G/L/Cpl. Stephen Kyeremeh and No. 50287 G/L/Cpl. AmediusAkwesiBoateng, both of Obuasi District Police Command are feared drowned in Oda River at Kobro, a village near Jacobu.
“The two personnel and two others, namely No. 36040 G/Sgt. Isaac Nyamekye and No. 39708 G/Sgt. James Ahiman, who were on Obuasi-Dunkwa highway patrol duties, upon distress call that some small scale miners had been attacked by armed robbers, proceeded to Kobro (sic).”
The report said “the officers, in an effort to proceed to the scene, hired a canoe to cross the Oda River to the site where the robbery attack was reported to have occurred, but the robbers escaped upon seeing the police.
“On their way back, the canoe on which all were on board capsized and the two sergeants managed to swim ashore while the other two Lance Corporals together with their service rifles are yet-to-be traced. Further development will be communicated, please (sic).”
Eyewitness Reports
According to reports, there was a robbery operation at Kobro, near Jacobu in the Amansie Central District, so the police rushed there to stop it.
Before the police patrol team could get to the robbery scene, the robbers had got wind of their operation so they quickly left to escape arrest.
Unfortunately, the police were returning to their base in a canoe when it suddenly subsided on the Oda River around 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi