The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has urged the general public to monitor the activities of the four interdicted soldiers after they are eventually released from the army to ensure they do not engage in criminal activities.

According to GAF, though the intelligence machinery of the state will keep an eye on them, it’s almost important that the public takes interest in their activities to ensure they’re effectively monitored.

The accused soldiers who served with Operation Vanguard, namely, 197533 Cpl Mensah S, 199442 Cpl Nkuah P, 199499 Cpl Owoo SB, 203225 L/Cpl Boateng SY and 203538 L/Cpl Obeng S, were tried by a Disciplinary Board in accordance with Ghana Armed Forces Rules and Regulations after they engaged in illegal operations in Wassa Akropong on May 30, 2018.

The four are currently serving 90 days in detention with “consequential penalties” after which they will be released from the Ghana Armed Forces having connived with individuals to extort money from illegal miners.

One other soldier is to spend 60 days in custody and will subsequently be demoted from Corporal to Private.

Speaking to host Kwaku Owusu Agyei on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa FM Tuesday, the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Armed Forces, Col. Aggrey Quarshie stated that there’s no formal counselling process for such affected, but added that the Commander of the Unit in which the affected soldiers serve will psyche them up before they're sent home.

“If we're talking about the GAF having to take soldiers who have fallen foul of the law through a formal counselling programme and training before they’re dismissed from the army because we fear they may go into armed robbery, then we can’t even punish any soldier who falls foul of the law. If the soldier is in the system and he has access to tools with which he can commit crime I think he’s even more dangerous to the ones outside.

“If you’re not in the system you’ll not get access to guns and uniforms, except you procure them through criminal means. That will also have its own punishment if the person is in the system and is criminally minded he’s very dangerous.”