4 illegal miners captured in viral video attacking police officers arrested

The police have arrested four suspected illegal miners who were captured in a video assaulting police officers.

In a police statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate on Sunday, April 2, 2023, the police said that operation was undertaken following a report on some officers of the Axim Divisional Police patrol team.

The police in the statement claimed that the four arrested persons seized the magazine of a service rifle together with some mobile phones belonging to the Police officers.

The four, Kojo Siah alias Mozey, Emmanuel Mensah alias Kofi Asamoah, Maxwell Cudjoe and Agyabu Haruna Dissawu were arrested for their suspected involvement in the attack.

“On 28th March 2023 search conducted at the residence of Kwame Ato Asare Ani, the prime suspect, who is still on the run, led to the retrieval of three (3) pump-action shotguns. Also, one (1) pump-action shotgun, (2) machetes and eight (8) BB refilled cartridges were retrieved from the suspect's unregistered Honda RV vehicle, Other items retrieved from the suspects include two (2) live refilled BB cartridges and one (1) unregistered motorbike.”

The statement added that “while the investigations were ongoing to get the remaining suspects arrested, the attention of the Police was drawn to a video footage in which they said Police personnel, members of the Axim Patrol team, are shown pleading with members of the gang while the gang is alleging extortion by the police officers.”

The police said that the allegation of extortion against the officers has been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) for investigation.

Below is the statement