Police in the Western region are investigating a case of an alleged extortion of ?17.5 million by four soldiers from the Takoradi Air Force station and the Second Battalion of Infantry (2BN).

The soldiers involved are L/Cpl. Gama and L/Cpl. Akalubi both from the Air Force station, L/Cpl. David Dawuda and Private Emmanuel Gyasi of the 2BN.

Information gathered by Chronicle had it that the four soldiers from the garrison were among troops deployed for operational duties at Nsuta.

On May 23 this year, at about 12.05 a.m., the soldiers abandoned their duties and travelled to Bawie Dompin, near Prestea.

There they went to the home of one Yaw Frimpong, a small scale miner, and extorted ?15 million from him and his wife, after subjecting them to a thorough search.

The soldiers later attacked one Yaw Ampoh at Wassa Jakpa and allegedly robbed him of ?2.5 million.

A report was then made to the Tarkwa divisional police commander, who in turn informed his regional commander at Sekondi.

Chronicle's enquiries revealed that for some time now, soldiers from the Air Force Station and 2BN at Takoradi have been undertaking bullion escort operations at the mining concessions in and around Tarkwa and are even sighted using unregistered vehicles given to them by the mining companies.

In one instance, the soldiers reportedly assaulted a police inspector who had questioned them as to why they should ride a motor-bike without light.

Sources close to the garrison told Chronicle that the money extorted was rather ?5 million and not ?15 million as peddled.

The sources also claimed that the four soldiers allegedly retrieved a quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp from Yaw Frimpong which they reportedly sold to someone in the Aboso area.

The Western regional police commander, ACP Ofosu Mensah Gyeabour, when reached, told the press that he had such report from the Tarkwa divisional police commander and that the case was under investigation.

According to him, the garrison command requested an official letter to enable them to release the affected soldiers to assist police in their investigations.

Both Garrison and 2BN were contacted, but in both cases the authorities seemed not to be aware of the incident.