Police have detained two suspects who were seen in a viral video brandishing firearms and threatening victims who resisted them during their robberies.

On November 19, 2023, police apprehended the two suspects.

The men, Kwame Sarpong and Ibrahim Mohammed were shown in a viral video holding machetes and knives and threatening anyone who tried to stop them.

The two suspects, known as ‘Aputuogya gangsters,’ were apprehended in their hideaway in Aputuogya, Kumasi, Ashanti Region.

They are now in police custody, collaborating with investigations.

The Koforidua Circuit Court B has remanded four military soldiers, an Immigration Officer, and a private security guard in police prison for armed robbery in Akyem Akanteng in the Lower West Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region.

Sergeant Mensah Dominic, 41, and L/Cpl Tetteh Wayo, 43, are both from the Jubilee House. L/CPL Nyarko Bernard, 28 years old, is stationed in the ABF’s Tamale command unit, while PTE Eric Anim, 23 years old, is stationed at the 11th Mechanised Infantry Battalion in Accra but is now on leave.

Richard Okyere, L.C.O. 27-year-old immigration officer stationed at the Ministry of Interior, and 28-year-old Kelvin Marfo, a private security guard at the 5th Hour Mining Company in Akyem Akwatia.

According to the prosecution, on November 10, 2023, the immigration officer, Richard Okyere, who was driving a Mitsubishi L200 with the registration number GS – 1116- 11, picked up the two military officers at their duty post at the Jubilee House before proceeding to pick up the other two military men at Pokuase and the last suspect at Asamankese before heading to Akyem Akanteng.

At 3:00 a.m. on November 11, 2023, the suspects armed with military guns and dressed in military clothes stormed the residence of the complainant, 55-year-old Ofori Samuel, a Cocoa buying clerk in Akyem Akanteng, and demanded GH100,000.00 in exchange for his life.

The complainant, who was terrified by the firearms, indicated that he had no money but could pay them 10,000 cash, which could be acquired by selling a 5 gramme of gold ore in his possession, which was valued at GH 29,000. The suspects then forced the complainant into his room, stole the gold, and fled.

The complainant immediately phoned the Akwatia Police Commander and an Osenase police officer to report the crime. However, luck evaded the culprits, and they were captured by authorities at the Osenase police checkpoint.

After being brought to the Akwatia Police Station, the suspects were found with two military rifles with serial numbers A0082460 and A0056937, four magazines, 62 rounds of live ammo, and a helmet.

According to the prosecution, during interrogations of the accused persons by the District Commander in the presence of other police officers, the first accused person handed over to the commander the 5 pounds of gold ore that the complainant previously reported was robbed from him by the accused persons.

The docket was taken over by the RCID, Kibi, the same day, along with the aforementioned exhibit of 5 pounds of gold for further examination.

Meanwhile, the Mitsubishi L200 with licence plate GS 1116-11 used by the accused has been detained at the Eastern South Regional Headquarters for further action.

The prosecution further stated that upon receipt of the case docket, all of the accused people’ departments were notified.

The suspects were remanded by the court presided over by Matilda Ribeiro to reappear on November 28th, 2023 after prosecution Assistant State Attorney Micdad Iddrisu prayed the court to remand the suspects to allow the police to continue their investigations.

Following an alleged fight between forestry officials and miners at Mfante near Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North municipality of the Ashanti region, two people were reportedly shot dead, while two others were injured.

The event happened on Friday at a community mining site in the region when forestry authorities allegedly raided the location and shot two of the people defending the site dead.

Two of the miners were also injured and are being treated at the Tepa Government Hospital.

The government, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, initiated the community mining initiative at Mfante in 2021, with the goal of employing 2000 people in the region.

However, there have apparently been disagreements in recent years between forestry inspectors and miners over mining activity in the region.

Forestry authorities have argued that the aforementioned region is inside the forestry zone and that the miners lack legal documentation to back up their claim that the area has been designated for community mining.

As a result of this, when forestry officials rushed the location on Friday, a confrontation followed, resulting in the fatalities.

According to Abu Issah, Assembly member of the Mfante electoral region, who verified the event to Citi News, the inhabitants are living in dread as a result of the incident, and many of them have begun abandoning the area.

As a result, he is urging the government to resolve the matter by providing the relevant documents on the community mining project in the region.

Police are presently investigating the event, and the grieving family is demanding justice.