The Asante Bekwai Circuit Court has handed two Ghana Air Force officers, Lance Corporal Alfred Mensah, 33, and Lance Corporal Matthew Amoako, 28, a 10-year prison sentence each with hard labor after being found guilty of kidnapping and robbing a small-scale miner, Mr. Andrews Asante, of GH₵96,500.
The two soldiers, despite pleading not guilty, were convicted following a full trial. Meanwhile, three of their accomplices, including two soldiers only identified as Frimpong and Francis, and a driver, Francis Acheampong, remain at large.
The Scheme
Detective Chief Inspector Eric Twum, presenting the prosecution’s case, revealed that the plot began on November 25, 2023, when Acheampong, who worked for a car rental company in Accra, arranged a vehicle for the soldiers under the pretense of a mission to effect an arrest in Konongo.
Mensah and Amoako, both based in Accra and Tamale but temporarily on a course in Accra, teamed up with Frimpong and Francis in military uniform.
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The gang traveled to the complainant’s residence in Ametubuom, a suburb of Asiwa, under the guidance of Frimpong, who claimed to be familiar with the area.
At around 1:30 a.m., the group forcibly entered Mr. Asante’s residence, shouting his name and banging on his gate.
After initially refusing to come out, the complainant eventually yielded, only to be met with beatings and demands for GH₵400,000.
The Ordeal
Fearing for his life, Mr. Asante managed to borrow GH₵10,000 from his mother-in-law, who lived in the same house.
However, the gang continued to beat him and demanded more money. His mother-in-law eventually gave an additional GH₵20,000, but the robbers pushed her back into her room, ransacked it, and found GH₵40,000.
They further raided the complainant’s room for an additional GH₵15,000, seized GH₵7,000 from a friend who had come to his rescue, and even confiscated the ignition key of his motorbike to prevent him from pursuing them.
After collecting a total of GH₵96,500, the gang abducted the complainant and held him hostage in their vehicle.
Failed Escape
The police were alerted and pursued the gang, signaling them to stop, but they sped off. After police opened fire on the vehicle, the gang abandoned it at a broken bridge in Anwiam and fled on foot into a nearby forest, still holding the victim hostage.
Community members joined the search, eventually forcing the gang to split up. Mensah and Amoako were caught by locals in Anumso Town while attempting to find a getaway vehicle.
They were handed over to the police, while the remaining gang members fled, abandoning the victim in the forest.
Arrest and Sentencing
Mensah and Amoako admitted their crimes during interrogation and identified their accomplices.
Evidence, including a body armor, the complainant’s walking aid, and the ignition key of the motorbike, was later retrieved from their hideout in the forest.
The court, presided over by Mr. Isaac Appeatu, found the two soldiers guilty of conspiring to rob and kidnap, sentencing them to 10 years in prison each.
Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other accomplices.
This case highlights the dangers posed by criminal activities within trusted institutions and serves as a warning against abuse of power for personal gain.
