The Wa Circuit Court has remanded into police custody 23-year old Ahmed Abubakari Tijani was arrested by the Military Detachment in Tumu last week for posing as a soldier.
DCOP Otchere Boapeah, the Upper West Regional Commander of Police, who briefed the media in Wa, said Tijani was arrested after he was found wearing a military uniform but when questioned he failed to mention his regimental number.
According to the police, at about 12 noon on June 6, 2019 during a military patrol in Tumu the suspect was spotted in the military attire and upon interrogation, he claimed he was a military officer stationed at Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital.
“He was interrogated by the military commander Major Abdulai Fatawu and he stated that he is a military man at Bolgatanga and was further asked of his Regimental number but could not mention it,” DCOP Boapeah said.
He said the suspect was escorted to the house of his wife and a search conducted revealed, a military bag containing a set of military uniform bearing his name Ahmed, a pair of military trousers, one military jacket, one military T-shirt, one military waist belt and two pair of boots.
During investigations, the suspect said apart from the jacket and the bag which belonged to him, the other uniform belonged to his friend, Bansah Emmanuel, a military man stationed at Sunyani but who is on a Peacekeeping mission.
According to DCOP Boapeah, Tijani said he was enlisted into the Army in 2015 but was sacked with others while they were on training.
“Photographs on suspect’s mobile phone disclosed him fully dressed in the military uniform and the suspect himself confirmed to have worn the said uniform once from Accra to Tamale”, he added.
In related development, DCOP Otchere said on 8th June, 2019 at about 01930 hours, the Upper West Regional Deputy Commander of Police (ACP) Mr Peter Ndebugri, upon tip-off, retrieved a bag with two shotguns, eight rounds of ammunitions, a torchlight and two overhead jackets from two Fulani men.
He said the suspects, who are currently on the run, were riding a motorbike around Sombo in the Wa Municipality and fled upon seeing ACP Ndebugri. He said efforts are underway to arrest the suspects.
