The Konongo Police Command in Ashanti is investigating some personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in Konongo, for allegedly stealing money and items, belonging to a chief.
The personnel are believed to have stolen GH¢30,000.00 and personal effects of the late Paramount Chief of Sekyere Traditional Area, Barima Bretwum Okyre Bediako II, who died in an accident on the Kumasi-Accra highway, on December 22, last year.
Preliminary investigations by the police has led to the retrieval of an i-phone and a bag of the late Paramount Chief from the personnel, but without the money.
On December 22, 2021, the Konongo Fire Service Duty Crew, led by Assistant Fire Officer Jonathan Oje and Stop Officer, Raphael Badu, were said to have responded to a distress call to rescue accident victims trapped in a mangled vehicle involved in an accident at triple lane, near Odumasi, on the Kumasi-Accra highway.
The GNFS personnel alleged conducted a spot check at the spot and found that the chief and two other persons had died in 4×4 vehicle belonging to Barima Bediako.
They allegedly retrieved a bag containing GH¢30,000.00, an i-phone and other valuables said to belong to Barima Bediako, but failed to disclose same to the police who conveyed the mangled vehicle and commenced investigations.
The Municipal Fire Service Commander in charge of Asante Akim Central, Richard Aweso, who confirmed the incident, mentioned that the Konongo Police had formally written to the GNFS Command to release the said duty crew members to the police for investigations.
He claimed that one of the crew, Yaw Mensah Badu, is the prime suspect because he was found to be in possession of the late chief’s bag and i-phone.
A police source at the Konongo Divisional Police Command indicated to the Ghanaian Times that the personnel involved would appear before the Command to help in investigations into the case.
It said since the incident happened, the GNFS command never mentioned that it had retrieved such items and were in their possession.
The source said the police’s own intelligence led to the discovery of the alleged criminal conduct and subsequently invited the Konongo Fire Service Command on January 5, 2022 for investigations.
This, the source said led to the retrieval of the Paramount Chief’s i-phone and bag from the Fire Service personnel but without the money.
The Paramount Chief was, until his ascension to the paramount stool, a police officer and known in private life as George Osei Bretwum.
He was travelling from Kumasi to Accra on in his 4×4 unregistered vehicle with two other persons on board when his car crashed into a mini bus, near Odumasi on the Accra-Kumasi highway.
Both passengers in the car died on the spot together with the chief, but those in the mini bus suffered injuries and were admitted at the government hospital at Konongo.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
