The prime suspect in the alleged case of police attack and extortion in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region, Kwame Ato Asare Ani has broken silence on the matter.
He claims he is an informant and not a robber, hence cannot understand why the Police will fabricate a story to frame him.
Mr Ani and four others suspected to be illegal miners were seen in a viral video attacking some policemen in an attempt to snatch their weapons.
The incident according to the Police occurred on March 9, 2023, following which an intelligence operation led to the arrest of Kojo Siah alias Mozey; Emmanuel Mensah alias Kofi Asamoah, Maxwell Cudjoe and Agyabu Haruna Dissawu on March 28,2023 for their suspected involvement in the attack.
Kwame Ato who the Police said was the mastermind of the attack is however on the run.
But speaking from his hideout on Accra-based UTV, Ani claimed he used to play a role in anti-galamsey activities in the area and has several occasions helped the police to get monies from illegal miners.
“We went with the police to a site and negotiated for GH¢30,000 with one Budu and when the money was paid, we were given only GH¢2,000 so we felt cheated,” he said.
He narrated the police are now after him and accusing him of being a robber over his decision to keep GH¢100,000 he took from some illegal miners.
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“I am pained by the sequence of events. I know the Police will be looking for me because of the things I have come out to say and wouldn’t mind shooting me dead,” he said.
Mr. Ani said he will not turn himself in until the police correct certain misinformation put out in the public.
“If they are able to prove where I took the gun and the robbery operation I embarked on with the weapons, I will report myself. If not, I won’t come because the police knows where we got the weapons,” he stated.