The Kwahu Afram Plains area has been battling highway robberies for about two decades. A number of people had died while others sustained gunshot wounds during some of these robbery attacks.
Many of the victims of these robbers, who operate mainly around Maame Krobo, Tease Ekye Amanfrom and Forifori have also lost their monies and personal belongings.
In his quest to address the challenge, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare upon assumption of office in 2021 deployed the anti-armed robbery squad to the area.
The IGP, who led members of the Police Management Board on September 22, 2021 visited the area to galvanise the support of chiefs and the people to clamp down on the criminals.
Subsequently, the crack team of the counter-terrorism unit of the police, together with the Intelligence team, have done a great work to arrest some of the suspected armed robbers, whilst others have been killed in the process.
However, the killing of 37 year old Eric Ofosu Yeboah, aka Kwasi Sika, a bystander during a counter-terrorism operation by the GPS has created a furore in the town.
The family of the late Kwasi Sika, who was married with two children, have accused the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Kwahu Afram Plains, Evans Kyei Ntiri, for the unfortunate incident.
In an interview with The Chronicle, the elder brother of the late Kwasi Sika, Mr. Daniel Asante, narrated that the DCE called the former assembly member for Kwasi Fante, Simon Arko, to organise some youth to assist in apprehending a certain Iliasu Konde, aka Alhaji, who was allegedly on the wanted list of the police.
The elder sibling of late Kwasi Sika continued that, the former Assembly member for Kwasi Fante and the youth in the area were able to apprehend the said Alhaji and the DCE was accordingly informed.
Mr. Daniel Asante indicated that the DCE later arrived at the scene, where the suspect, Alhaji, was handed over to the police but the DCE instructed the security agency to also arrest Eric Ofosu Yeboah (deceased) who was standing by.
The relative of Kwasi Sika told the paper that though the Assemblyman informed the DCE many times that Kwasi Sika was not part of the criminal gang, the DCE did not listen to him (Assemblyman).
He said after a short time, the police announced to the family after a thorough search that their brother and Alhaji were dead and their bodies had been deposited at Donkorkrom Presbyterian Hospital mortuary.
According to him, the family is finding it difficult to believe that their relative has been killed by the security agencies.
He said the DCE engaged the family in a meeting to announce that the killing was unfortunate because he (Kwasi Sika) was not part of the suspect reported to the police.
The DCE has since called for a meeting to apologise to the family and console them, since it has been established that the late Kwasi Sika was indeed not a criminal.
The DCE confirmed the incident when contacted on his cell phone but politely asked this reporter to contact the Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Christopher Klomegah of the Kwahu Afram Plains South for any further details about the matter.
“Please contact the Divisional Police Commander for further details and if the police need my assistance they will call me”, he added.
The Donkorkrom Divisional Commander also referred this reporter to the national Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ghana Police Service when contacted.
However, all efforts to reach the national PRO have been unsuccessful.
