Two men accused of staging a robbery while dressed in military gear have been remanded into custody by the Tarkwa Circuit Court.
Benjamin Awal, 29, an illegal miner, and Kwame Mumuni, 31, a farmer, are facing charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime, and possessing military uniforms without lawful authority. The court, presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu, deferred their pleas.
The incident took place on the evening of March 27, 2025. According to the prosecution, led by ASP Samuel Ahiaboc, the accused had disguised themselves partly in military attire and set out to extort money from miners operating around Wangarakrom and its surrounding areas in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.
Armed with cutlasses and clubs, the two, along with an accomplice still at large, blocked a road leading to illegal mining sites using Awal’s unregistered motorbike. They stopped a group of miners—Abudu Boamah, Naa Evans, and Bernard Tawiah—and claimed to be military personnel sent to carry out an anti-mining operation.
When the miners questioned their demands, the accused allegedly resorted to threats, seized their mobile phones, and demanded payments. The victims, fearing for their safety, handed over cash totalling GH¢1,250. In one case, money was transferred via mobile money to Awal before their phones were returned.
The accused reportedly changed out of their uniforms after the operation and returned to Mumuni’s residence. However, the victims alerted locals at Mile 7, who managed to intercept the two and retrieve the uniforms they had used.
Awal and Mumuni were later handed over to the police, and further investigation led to the recovery of GH¢1,145. They are expected to appear in court again on April 23, 2025.