Sekondi — Five Chinese are in the grips of the Western Regional Police Command in connection with the two missing excavators at Ellembelle in the Western Region.
In an update yesterday, the police mentioned that, suspects were arrested for their involvement in the case and also as part of ongoing investigation into the excavators which got missing at Teleku Bokazo galamsey site in Ellembelle District.
The intelligence-led operation which travelled from the night of September 7, till the dawn of September 8, led to the arrest of Shi Zhong Qix, Wei Lin Xi, Huang Qian Xi, Li Jian Wen and Huang Qian Sheng at their hideout at Esiama in the Ellembelle District.
The Ghanaian Times gathered that the Chinese suspects had been escorted to Regional Police Headquarters, Sekondi for further investigations.
Meanwhile, the police website reported that the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has been contacted for details of the immigration status of the suspects and their Ghanaian sponsors, to assist with the investigation.
"As investigation continues, we would like to assure the public that all other accomplices, both Ghanaian and foreigners will be arrested and brought to face justice," it added.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ellembelle, Mr Kwasi Bonzo, who was also arrested for obstruction offence in connection with the case, had been granted police enquiry bail on Wednesday.
The report commended the Regional Command and all the teams involved in the operations for their selflessness and patriotism.
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On September 6, a team of operations and intelligence officers working day and night discovered one of the missing excavators several kilometres into a forest within the Ellembelle District," police said in a statement on Wednesday.
It is recalled that, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ellembelle, Kwasi Bonzo, last Thursday, accused the Esiama Divisional Police Commander, ACP Dodzi Hlordzi and his team, for reluctantly releasing two police officers to guard two brand new excavators which was seized from an illegal mining site near Nkroful Senior High School at Teleku Bokazo.
Later, the excavators vanished from the site and began what became a turf war between the DCE and the Regional Police Command.
Meanwhile, the Western Regional Police Command in rebuttal, said the police did not take custody of any excavators as alleged by the Ellembelle DCE.
The statement signed by the Head of Police Public Affairs Unit in Western Region, Superintendent Olivia Ewurabena Adiku on Saturday, stressed "We wish to categorically state that no excavators were handed over the police by the DCE, Mr Kwasi Bonzo or any other person from the assembly.
"We therefore, urge the public to disregard the publication and treat it with the contempt it deserves.
The DCE, his personal assistant and one other are being investigated in connection with the alleged mission excavators," she added.
The police, assured the public that anybody implicated in the course of the investigations would be taken through the due processes of the law.
