The Ghana Police Service has revealed a specialist team of homicide detectives and crime scene management from the CID Headquarters have been dispatched to Eastern Region to support local police to conduct an investigation into the deaths of four individuals.

The four persons died at Akukuaso, near Kwabeng, on the night of Saturday, 12th August 2017.

According to a statement signed by ASP David Eklu, Director General at the Public Affairs Directorate which was released on Tuesday, 15th August, “Preliminary investigation shows that the four who died were conveying an excavator on a pay loader from Anyinam to Extra Gold Mining Concession at Akukuaso, when in the course of their journey, they abandoned the pay loader for reasons yet to be ascertained."

ASP Eklu indicated that their bodies were later found by police with the assistance of the community, in a pit filled with water by the roadside, which is about five meters away from the point where they abandoned the pay loader.

Residents earlier blamed the anti-galamsey task force known as Operation Vanguard, but the PRO of the Vanguards explained that the joint military and police team has not been to the area.

The police administration has assured the public that it is collaborating with stakeholders; particularly the community and families of the deceased in conducting the investigations and urged residents to volunteer information to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Anyone with relevant information can report to the Kwabeng Police Station or to their nearest police station or call police on 18555 (MTN and Vodafone), 0302773906, 0302787373 or 191 (all networks).