The Police Administration is investigating a video footage which shows a police officer kneeling before some suspected illegal miners, and pleading for forgiveness as the men accuse him of collecting their money.
The incident occurred in a forest area which turned out to be a place in Axim, the Western Region, where the suspected illegal miners were carrying out their activity popularly known as ‘galamsey’.
In relation to the foregone, the Axim Division of the Ghana Police Service have arrested four suspected illegal miners for allegedly attacking some police officers and referring the allegation against the officers of extorting money from them to the Police Professional Standards Bureau for investigations.
Following the video footage going viral, the Police Administration issued statement to throw light on the development, an explanation which started with the arrest of the four suspects for attacking the officers.
According to the statement, on March 9 the Axim Patrol Team was attacked by suspected illegal miners who seized the magazine of a service rifle and some mobile phones belonging to the officers.
An operation to get the suspects behind the attack commenced after three weeks of which on March 28, 2023 Kojo Siah alias Mozey, Emmanuel Mensah alias Kofi Asamoah, Maxwell Cujoe and Agyabu Haruna Dissawu were arrested for their suspected role in the attack which had been reported by the attacked officers.
A search by the police of the residence of the prime suspect in the attack, Kwame Ato Asare Ani, who is still on the run, led to the retrieval of three pump action shortguns.
Also retrieved included one pump short gun, two machetes and eight BB refilled cartridges retrieved from unregistered Honda CRV vehicle. Other items retrieved were two live refilled BB cartridges and one unregistered motorbike.
On April 1, 2023, while the investigation was ongoing to get the remaining suspects, attention of the police was drawn to a video footage in which the said police personnel, members of the Axim Patrol team were shown pleading with the gang as one of the gang members accused the cops of extorting money from him, allegation which has been referred to the PPSB for investigations. The suspects, according to the statement, have been put before court and remanded as the remaining suspects are being sought for.
A portion of the video footage has the man in front of which the police officer knelt and begged claiming that after collecting money from him, the police officer now wants to take him away, implying arrest.
By A.R. Gomda