Fake soldier Sissey Ibrahim
Police are investigating the circumstances under which a 23-year-old student dressed in military uniform, managed to join the security details of Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in the midst of security concern around the presidency.
They are trying to unravel the reason behind the suspect’s decision to break into the security team escorting the vice president on Sunday in Kumasi.
The suspect, who claimed to be a student at the University of Ghana, was spotted in full military uniform at the Kumasi Airport after joining the security team escorting the vice president to the airport to board a flight after a religious event in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital.
Information available indicates that one Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Benjamin Adu Effah, who was stationed at the airport, spotted the self-styled ‘army sergeant’ in camouflage uniform with the name tag, ‘Zakari.’
His demeanor and movements gave him out as he was behaving strangely. He was approached and interrogated when it was discovered that he was a fake soldier dressed in military uniform.
Chief Inspector Bediako Darkwah of the VVIPU at the presidency arrested the suspect and handed him over to the Airport police for further investigations.
He is said to have confessed to the police that the uniform belongs to one Sergeant Zakari Ibrahim of 5BN, Burma Camp, Accra, with whom he resides.
According to reports, the supposed Sergeant Zakari Ibrahim is presently on Peacekeeping Operations in Lebanon, hence the opportunity offered the suspect to dress in his (Zakari Ibrahim’s) attire for his own operations.
Police Angry
The police in Kumasi have made an angry denial following claims that the fake soldier, Sissey Ibrahim, was part of the veep’s security details during a visit to Kumasi to partake in the commemoration of ‘Mawlud Nabiyy’ (birthday of Prophet Muhammed).
The outlandish rumour appears to have been started on social media, where a post featuring the image of the suspect went viral after the young man’s arrest on Sunday, March 11, 2018 by security officers.
COP Ken Yeboah, Ashanti Regional police commander, stated that the rumour is completely a malicious slander against the security agencies, as he expressed his outfit’s total disgust for it.
He indicated that though the suspect was arrested by Dr. Bawumia’s security detail at the Kumasi airport area, Sissey, who claims to be a student of the University of Ghana, was not part of the security entourage.
At a media briefing in Kumasi yesterday, the police commander explained that the suspect, who had dressed in a full military uniform affixed with a nametag, ‘Zakari,’ was given away by his demeanor and movements.
”He was immediately accosted and interrogated, and became clear that he was not a military officer, having impersonated someone,” he explained.
According to COP Ken Yeboah, Sissey was sent to the Manhyia police station for the offence of unlawful possession of military uniform and impersonation.
He said suspect Sissey told police investigators that the uniform belonged to his elder brother who is an officer attached to the 5BN, Burma Camp, and currently on a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.
He indicated that the suspect would soon be put before court to answer charges when investigations are completed.
By Vincent Kubi & Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi