General News of Wednesday, 11 April 2018

Source: theheraldghana.com

'Fake' National Security personnel busted

The man, Evans Kwafo is said to be using his national security status to dupe others [File photo] The man, Evans Kwafo is said to be using his national security status to dupe others [File photo]

A man parading himself as a National Security operative and making dubious promises to unsuspecting individuals and foreign investors into mining, has been captured on a video recording by an undercover investigator.

The man, who has been identified as, Evans Kwafo, a native of Wassa-Juabo in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region, is seen in the video tape, busily negotiating a deal with a middleman on how, he could resell gold concessions, already acquired lawfully by mining companies.

He is said, to be using his national security status to collect various sums of money from investors, claiming he could sell them gold concessions already leased by the government of Ghana to some large scale mining companies,

Although, Evans Kwafo, believed to be in his early 40’s, will not prove his identity as a national security operative by way of an ID card, is often seen brandishing a ‘GoTa’, a telephony device commonly used by security agencies.

He shuttles and operates within Accra, Kumasi and Wassa Juabo in the Amenfi area, where he hails from.

When Evans Kwafo was contacted to provide the name of the national security outfit or unit, he is attached to, he declined to mention it, but confirmed he is a “national security man”.

“I’m a national security man, but I go with my private operation, I don’t go with national security,” Evans Kwafo, confessed last Friday in a telephone interview.

Checks revealed that, the concession in question, which Mr. Kwafo, was plotting to sell, called Block A& B, located in the Wassa Forest Reserve, belongs to a mining company by name, C & G Aleksa Limited.

The company, this paper gathered validly acquired the land from government since the year 2016, for a period of 10years and has since been operating at the sites.

The secret video, filmed by the private undercover investigator,which is currently in possession of this reporter, exposed Evans Kwafo, loudly boasting he could allow the new mining investors operate freely in the Block A& B concessions.

The tape, which lasted for about 7minutes and few seconds, showed the alleged National Security officer, standing together with the middleman at a location, believed to be Kumasi, where he was negotiating the deal.

Evans in the video, kept frequently turning and watching his back and sides like a fugitive, whiles explaining to the middleman, plans and strategies needed for the deal to be successful, particularly the payment and security aspect.

The self-acclaimed national security man, was heard telling the middleman that, after selling the concession to them, it will be difficult for them to get security protection;but, if he personally writes to his superiors, the company would be given security protection.

Mr. Kwafo, who was speaking in Twi with the middleman said, “At the moment, it is difficult to get security, when we request. They will give me when I write to them, but they will tell me to wait for a while. One, the government says no one should do mining”.

He also revealed that, he was currently supervising a total of about 270 kilometer mining for a certain big man at Denya Forest.

He told the middleman, “There is really money there. Let’s pray and meet then we know what to do”.

At this point, the middleman interrupted and said, “We are just praying things go on smoothly. I will talk to them. As for you, I know by all means… we are preparing something of about $20,0000 dollar.I will force for them to get you.”

Kwarfo, then assured the middleman, he would also provide security protection, once the investors are able to pay him handsomely for the land.

Already, Kwarfo, has pocketed a sum of GH¢2, 000, during one of his meetings with the investors for facilitation.

Meanwhile, checks by this paper, has established that the said national security man, Evans Kwafo, and one George Kofi Amponsah, about two weeks ago, jointly signed a press statement and circulated it in the media, accusing C & G Aleksa Limited of engaging in illegal mining. A claim the company has vehemently denied.

The two, Messrs. George Kofi Amponsah and Evans Kwafo, in their press statement, had identified themselves as representatives of James Acquah and Cecilia Gyapong of AgonaWassa family of Wassa-Juabo.

However, the surfacing of this secret video recording, has exposed the motive of the two, per the claims made in the malicious press statement.

This paper’s checks, have established that, not every indigene of Wassa-Juabo in Amenfi Central District, is in support of this diabolic plot against the company.

It has been established that, some disgruntled galamsey operators, are behind the plot against C & G Aleksa Ltd, as a payback over the ban on their illegal operations in the area.

General Manger of C & G Aleksa Ltd, Donald Entsuah, when contacted, declined to comment on the video, let alone confirm whether it has come to the attention of the company or not.

The Manager, however, strongly told this reporter, the company is dragging the company’s accusers to court for defamation, including media houses, as well as reporters that published the said defamatory press statement by Messrs. George Kofi Amponsah and Evans Kwafo.

Mr. Entsuah, said the company has taken the allegations seriously and would stop at nothing to ensure justice is served, and their accusers severely punished to serve as deterrent to others.