The country was dismayed when news of a lynched soldier broke. It was reported that the death of the late Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama was caused by a mob in Denkyira Obuasi, a mining community in the Central Region, on suspicion of being an armed robber.
At the story's break, government officials, institutions and individuals expressed their sentiments on the matter and suggested ways to deal with the suspects involved.
Unfolding reports suggested that the soldier who was gruesomely murdered was stationed in the Denkyira Obuasi community on detachment duties.
He was later given a sympathy promotion for his heroic act of dying in the line of duty. Captain Mahama became Major Mahama at the time of his burial.
Six years on, a report authored by Professor Frimpong-Boateng, former chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), has confirmed the allegations that Major Mahama died while providing security to a galamsey site belonging to C&J Aleska.
The report by the professor, titled "Report on The Work of The IMCIM and the Way Forward," was written and presented to the president in 2021 but leaked to the media.
What the report said about the death of Major Mahama:
Prof. Frimpong indicated in his report that Major Mahama was manning a mining site owned by C&J Aleska at Denkyira Obuasi prior to his death.
According to him, Major Mahama was killed while "providing security for Donald Entsuah and his C&K Aleska."
In his words, "Many Ghanaians will remember the C&J Aleska, a mining company co-owned by Donald Entsuah and a Canadian National, Simon Ayman, that caused a lot of destruction in the town known as Denkyira Oduase, near Diaso.
"During the last NDC regime, several mining companies signed MOUs with the Ghana Army that regulated the supply of security services to the mining companies. At one point, the soldiers at the site of C&J Aleska were under the command of Captain Mahama. This fine army man was killed whilst providing security for Donald Entsuah and his C&K Aleska…," he added.
Meanwhile, watch the latest episode of People and Places on GhanaWeb TV below: