Two unidentified soldiers escape arrest

Akim Oda (Eastern Region) - Two men in military iniform who were smuggling 60 pieces of "Ofram" beams to Accra managed to escape arrest when they were confronted bysome personnel of the Akim-Oda District forestry division. They however left behind the driver and the truck conveying the beams. The Akim-Oda district forestry officer, Mrs Rose Attan-Ayibo told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Akim Oda that, last Friday, two forestry range supervisors in-charge of Akim Otwereso, Mr Kwabena Boateng and Mr Jude Kwarteng spotted the truck loaded with the beams while on patrol.

She said when they got near the truck they saw the men in military uniform in the front seat together with the driver. When they were confronted the soldiers claimed they had arrested the truck in the bush and were escorting it to Accra. When the officers told the soldiers that they could not arrest a culprit within the Oda District and escort it to Accra and that the vehicle would have to be sent to the Oda District Forestry Office for sanction, the soldiers started pleading and offered 50,000 cedis bribe for the case to be dropped. When the officers rejected it they added another 50,000 cedis which was also turned down. However, when the forestry personnel left to solicit the assistance of policemen at nearby Akim Oda barrier to arrest them, the soldiers managed to escape leaving the driver behind.

Mrs Attan-Ayibo said the beams have been confiscated and would be sold and the proceeds paid into government chest. There has been allegations in the Akim Oda area in recent times that some security personnel have been conniving with chainsaw operators to fell timber and later escorts the vehicles transporting the beams for sale in Accra.