The Defense Minister, Dominic Nitiwul has described as a ‘sad day for the defense ministry’ the lynching of a Captain of the army by some residents of Denkyira-Boase in the Central Region.
The late Captain Maxwell Mahama was lynched by residents on suspicion of being an armed robber while he went on jogging in the town.
According to his subordinates in the military, the officer with the 5th Infantry Batallion (5BN) was the ‘detachment commander of our troops on operational duties in the area’.
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His lynching has led many of the residents of the town including the Assemblyman and the Chief to desert the town due to fear of attacks from the military.
The military commander has dispatched a high powered delegation to the town to establish the facts that led to the lynching of the Army Captain.
Two (2) officers and 35 men have also been moved to the town as well with Brigadier Oppong Peprah and Chief of Army Staff, the Central Regional Commander of Police and 2 BN commander from Takoradi have been sent there.
Dominic Nitiwul further conveyed the condolences of the government and the people of Ghana, the Defense Ministry and the Army Command to the family of the late Maxwell Mahama.
“It’s a sad day for the defense ministry…when we heard the news, we were praying that it should be a hoax but after some minutes later, it was confirmed that it was true…on behalf of the President, the Defense Ministry and Military High Command, I send condolences to the family,” he said on Adom FM’s Morning Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’.
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According to the Defense Minister, the late Captain Mahama who is a product of the Akosombo International School and had sat for an examination to be promoted to the rank of Major was sent to the location to relieve an officer who was also in Accra for an examination.
He confirmed that the late Captain was jogging in the town to keep shape as the Military does not have any gym in the area.
The late Captain Mahama was part of Operation Halt 2, an Anti-Galamsey taskforce formed to assist with the fight against galamsey.