The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has stated categorically that the suspect wearing a military camouflage uniform in a car snatching syndicate at Buipe is not a soldier of the Ghana Armed Forces.

According to the GAF, the sale of military uniforms and gadgets by vendors to civilians is responsible for the rise in crimes being perpetrated by unscrupulous persons who disguise themselves as solders.

The GAF described the issue as posing a threat to security but pledged to cooperate with the police to unravel the source of the military uniform used by the suspect during the incidence.

The Public Relations Directorate of the Ghana Armed Forces stated in a statement issued at the General Headquarters in Burma Camp, Accra on Monday, January 24, 2022 that the attention of the Ghana armed forces has been drawn to several videos and pictures on various social media platform of the arrest of a car snatching syndicate at Buipe who are alleged to have attacked and snatched a car from the victim at Tamale.

In the said videos and pictures, one of the suspects is seen wearing military camouflage uniform and has been described variously as a soldier of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Armed Forces said in the statement signed by Commander Andy La-Anyane, Acting Director of Public Relations of the Armed Forces.

“We wish to state categorically that the suspect is not a soldier of the Ghana Armed Forces. The Armed Forces is worried about the rising spate of impersonation by civilians, either wearing military uniforms or posting of fake pictures of themselves as military officers to defraud unsuspecting Ghanaians. The unauthorized sale of military uniforms and military pattern gadgets by some vendors contributes to this state of affairs and is inimical to national security.

“The Ghana Armed Forces is ready to cooperate with the Police to unravel the source of the military uniform in this particular incident and to stop the unauthorized sales of military uniforms across the country”.
GAF

Public urged to provide information to security agencies

The statement urged all Ghanaians to “be confident to provide information to the security agencies in order to nib this trend in the bud”. The statement further urged the general public to be circumspect in dealing with persons who pose as military personnel. The GAF urged people who have doubt concerning suspected military personnel to “please contact the Directorate of the Public Relations on 0544338030 when in doubt”.

On Monday, November 8, 2021, a 32-year-old man who posed as an army officer and duped one Richmond Ohene Addo of GHS 2,800 under the pretext of getting him enlisted into the Ghana Army, was arrested by the Suhum police.

The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ebenezer Tetteh, said the suspect, Tanko Sani, will be put before court once the police conclude its investigations.

DSP Ebenezer Tetteh took the opportunity to advise the public to desist from paying bribes as a means to be recruited into any security service as criminals are always looking forward to take advantage of persons desperate to be enlisted into any of the security services.