The alleged National Security Operatives put before court for engaging in illegal mining fumed at the Koforidua Circuit Court premises on Monday that they were allegedly sent by the office of the President therefore it is wicked for them to be treated like thieves.
According to the angry accused persons, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) used them to foment trouble in the chaotic Ayawaso by-elections ,and the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections hence felt used and dumped.
The Koforidua Circuit Court “B” refused to grant the accused persons bail on Monday May 24,2021 when they reappeared before the court.
The Prosecution led by Assistant State Attorney Dickson Donkor said ,police needed more time to investigate new twist to the case as some of the accused persons have mentioned names of some individuals for authorizing their operations.
The Court presided by Her Honour Mercy Addei Kotei remanded the accused into Police Custody to reappear on June 8,2021.
Family and friends who were in the court could not control their tears.
Both males and females were seen crying around the bus cursing the NPP party for treating the accused persons are criminals having used them for their political agenda.
The accused persons have been charged provisionally with possession of firearms without lawful excuse.
The accused persons are George Asante, Kwaku Frimpong, Alfred Kyei, Yaw Opoku, Richard Nartey, Paul Osei Kuffour, Dominic Beblie, Samuel Kofi Edusei, Silas Boakye Gyan, Joseph Oduro Asare, Mukaila Attah, Stephen Opoku, Michael Quansah, Derrick Adu Kwakye, Razark Suleman, Stephen Kofi Felan, Dominic Ghansah, Robert Nartey Tetteh, Eric Addei, Yakubu Mohammed@ Jordan 1 and Benlord Abebio@ Commander.
The rest are Adam Dakurugu, Kwame Isaac, Joe Acquah, Emmanuel Arhin, Samuel Asiedu Gyamfra, David Akakpo, Ebenezer Boateng, Joseph Kwaku Gyamfi, Fuseini Alhassan, Alhassan Asibi and Gabriel Dormate.
Preliminary investigation conducted indicate that the accused persons are not national security Operatives but were contracted by a staff of National Security Ministry to engage in illegal mining.
They are alleged to have stormed many mining Communities in parts of the country under the guise of being national security Operatives to seize gold from illegal miners and also taken part in illegal mining.
Background
The youth of Akyem Akanteng on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 invaded the Atewa Forest reserve to arrest about seventeen (17) illegal miners including 14 National Security Operatives who claimed to be working at the Jubilee House.
The alleged National Security Operatives sneaked into the forest at dawn to illegally mine gold.
The youth of Akyem Akanteng massed up and invaded the forest, disarmed the Operatives,beat them before handing over to the forestry commission and Police who later came to the community.
The five vehicles used by the operatives were also vandalized with some of the tires deflated. The damaged vehicles included a Tundra with registration number NR 9706-20 , Toyota Hilux with registration number GT 9683-14 and Nissan Patrol GR with registration number GW 1966-12.
The suspects were moved from Eastern Regional Police Headquarters to Accra by armed Military.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
