The missing policemen
CALAMITY HAS hit the Ashanti Regional Police Command, as two policemen have been reported to have drowned during an operation on Wednesday.
Four policemen, including two corporals and two sergeants, who are all stationed at the Obuasi District Police Command, were in a canoe crossing a river when it reportedly capsized.
The two sergeants identified as No. 36040 G/Sgt. Isaac Nyamekye and No. 39708 G/Sgt. James Ahiman, according to police report, managed to swim ashore but, unfortunately, the two corporals named as No. 48515 G/L/Cpl. Stephen Kyeremeh and No. 50287 G/L/Cpl. Amedius Akwesi Boateng 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 having done their best possible.
A 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. Amedius Akwesi Boateng, 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.”
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 2:00pm on Wednesday.
Police Report
The Obuasi District Police Commander, DSP Martin Asenso, who confirmed the horrific incident, said the two corporals had been declared missing for now.
According to him, the Kobro community is under the Obuasi District Police and so the police patrol team had visited there in a canoe for routine patrols.
DSP Asenso said the police patrol team, including two corporals and two sergeants, were returning to their base in a canoe when it subsided.
He said a search team was still trying its best to rescue the two policemen as of Thursday morning, adding that it was too early for anyone to make conclusions.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Obuasi