Fraud prevention expert and security consultant Richard Kumadoe has projected that by August 15, 2025 — the scheduled national day of funeral for the eight victims of the recent military helicopter crash — investigative teams will be about 70 to 80 per cent certain of the causes and circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
Commenting on the ongoing probe, Mr. Kumadoe outlined that the second phase of investigative activities was already underway and would be critical in piecing together the sequence of events that led to the crash.
“By now, the 2nd phase or stages of investigative activities will be in motion, where the following specific actions will become crucially key to frontline investigation teams.”.
Richard Kumadoe
He stressed that the work now involves a meticulous review of all facts, including the helicopter’s flight routes, the topography of the crash area, the timelines involved, and the exact moments between the last communication and the disappearance from radar.
These details, he explained, are essential to reconstructing the final moments before the tragedy. According to him, all factual, identifiable, and physically verifiable positions are currently being analysed to ensure that the investigation is not built on mere conjecture but on concrete, demonstrable evidence.
“All core incident elements — two-sister voice recorders, human bodies, takeoff location, and crash site — will be examined whilst awaiting the diagnostic assessment of the black box.”
Richard Kumadoe
The retrieval and analysis of the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, he added, will provide critical insights into both the mechanical and human factors that may have contributed to the accident.
“The diagnostic assessment of the black box will be pivotal,” he emphasised, noting that such data could confirm or rule out multiple theories. Mr. Kumadoe also highlighted that while definitive findings are still some weeks away, the investigative process is not discarding preliminary hypotheses.
“All presumptive assumptions will be carried along in a whitish transparent side bag,” he said metaphorically, indicating that possible causes will remain under consideration until proven otherwise through evidence.
In his view, the approach being applied is a blend of manual, scientific, and technical methods, supported by both quantitative and qualitative analyses. These methods, he explained, would be benchmarked against regional and international best practices to ensure the findings are credible and withstand external scrutiny.
Mr. Kumadoe expressed confidence that by the time the national funeral takes place on August 15, the investigation teams and relevant decision-makers will have a substantial understanding of the incident.
“Before the national day of funeral, on August 15th, 2025, investigation teams and decision-making teams will be abreast and conversant with about 70-80% of what has happened, what to expect and what is likely to change”.
Richard Kumadoe
His comments come amid heightened public interest and concern over the crash, which claimed the lives of five prominent public servants and three Ghana Air Force personnel.
The victims were en route to Obuasi for the launch of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) when the helicopter went down, sending shockwaves across the nation.
In the wake of the tragedy, there have been calls for transparency, professionalism, and restraint in public discourse, with several security experts cautioning against the spread of misinformation and speculation. Mr. Kumadoe’s update offers a measured perspective, emphasising that the process requires patience and methodical work.
While acknowledging the pain and grief that the families of the victims — and the country at large — are enduring, he underscored the importance of allowing investigators to complete their work systematically.
He also pointed out that such probes often involve cross-disciplinary collaboration, with aviation experts, forensic teams, security analysts, and accident reconstruction specialists working together. This, he said, is necessary to ensure the findings are comprehensive and reliable.
As Ghana mourns its loss and awaits clarity on the causes of the crash, Mr. Kumadoe’s projection suggests that a significant portion of the truth will be known before the nation gathers to bid farewell to the fallen.
However, he also hinted that certain aspects of the investigation might take longer, particularly if further technical analyses or international consultations are required.
His remarks align with global standards in aviation accident investigations, where preliminary findings are often made public within weeks, but final reports may take months to complete.
By assuring the public of steady progress and adherence to best practices, Mr. Kumadoe appears intent on fostering trust in the investigative process and ensuring that the conclusions are based on verifiable evidence rather than conjecture.
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