PHOTO- Five Fake Soldiers arrested

Five suspects have been arrested for allegedly wearing military uniforms and posing as soldiers at Kaneshie in Accra.

They are Michael Osei Mantey, a 21-year old instructor; Alex Tawura, a 25-year-old taylor; Wonder Onyafio, a 28-year- old mason; David Opoku, a 25-year-old electrician, and Samuel Osei Manu, a 27-year-old trainer.

Two others, identified as George Kumi, 32, and Silus Antwi, 23, believed to be the accomplices of the five suspects, have also been arrested.

Kumi and Antwi, operators of a video studio, were arrested by the Kaneshie Police after the five suspects had mentioned their names as the culprits behind the issuing of fake military identification cards.

Briefing journalists in Accra on Saturday, a Chief Superintendent of Police at the Kaneshie District Police Station, Mr Fleance Senam Adikah, said Mantey, who was arrested on June 10, 2013, led the police to the hideout of the four suspects.

According to Mr Adikah, the suspects had been using the military uniforms to conduct their own private businesses, including providing security for ceremonial functions.
Elaborating on the incident that led to their arrest, he said Mantey was returning from Kasoa on the said date after training with a school cadet.

A trotro bus Mantey boarded was hit by a taxi on the Kasoa road, but the driver failed to stop. The trotro driver pursued the taxi driver to Kaneshie, where Mantey got down and confronted the taxi driver.

According to Mr Adikah, the passenger in the taxi got angry and confronted Mantey, who was dressed in a military uniform.

Not satisfied, Mantey dragged the passenger to the Kaneshie Police Station. Mr Adikah said Mantey accused the passenger of assault and was given a police medical report to go to hospital.

But his complaint raised suspicion because the police did not understand why Mantey, who claimed to be a soldier, should report of being beaten by a civilian.

After extensive interrogations, Mantey is said to have confessed that he was not a soldier. Mantey was apprehended and subsequently led the police to arrest the remaining suspects.

Source: Daily Graphic