The Eastern Regional Police Command has launched an intensive search operation to arrest Danso, a youth leader and a miner at Asamang Tamfoe in the Atewa East District for allegedly shooting Major Patrick Don-Chebe, the Commanding Officer of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) Taskforce.
According to a Citi News report, the suspect who is currently at large together with his accomplice, Joe, who is currently in police custody, on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, went to a mining site around Asamang Tamfoe where the taskforce acting on intelligence had gone to clamp down on illegal miners operating in the area, ostensibly to prevent the suspects from being taken into custody.
Both suspects arrived at the site with Joe visibly in possession of a firearm approaching the taskforce, but members of the taskforce who overpowered and disarmed him were left off guard as Danso pulled a pistol concealed under his shirt and shot Patrick Don-Chebe at close range on his ribs.
They, however, managed to flee the scene after members of the taskforce rushed to save their commander.
Patrick Don-Chebe was rushed to the Kibi Government Hospital for treatment. Medical officers who were attending to him quickly referred him to the 37 Military Hospital, where he was immediately operated on.
The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners, Godwin Armah, who confirmed the incident to Citi News, called on the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo-Dampare, and the local police to speed up their investigations to arrest the suspect.
The Commanding Officer of the GNASSM Taskforce, Patrick Don-Chebe, is still on admission at the 37 Military Hospital.