Western North police arrest five for posing as national security officers in mining raids

The Western North Regional Police have arrested four individuals and a driver for reportedly pretending to be national security officers, conducting raids on mining sites, and extorting money from miners in the Suaman District.

The individuals identified as Amponsah Asare Wagan, 33; Nelson Agbodzah, 28; Awedagah Norbert, 27; Francis Brefo, 35; and driver Benjamin Boakye, 48, are reported to have been travelling through various communities while impersonating National Security officers.

They allegedly requested documents from miners and confiscated items from people at the locations.

The actions of the individuals caused concern among residents, leading some community members to approach them and others to notify the police.

A police report states that officers stopped the group as they were trying to leave the area and took them to the Dadieso Police Station. “We acted immediately on the information received and arrested all five individuals along their route,” the police said.

Initial investigations showed that the suspects made conflicting statements.

Wagan, who is said to be the leader of the group, stated that he was a medical doctor, the child of a security official, and a local representative of a political party in Kwadaso.

Some individuals stated connections to National Security, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, and NADMO.

Later, the police determined that some of the men had no connections to any security agency and were out of work.

An examination of the rented vehicle revealed multiple items believed to be stolen, such as car batteries, water pumps, a starter, a hose, a metal part for an excavator, five mobile phones, keys, a live AA cartridge, and a pair of military camouflage pants.