Fresh revelations suggest there was sufficient intelligence pointing to a pre-meditated attempt to kill the leader of a military detachment stationed in Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central region.
According to host of late afternoon political talk show host, Kwadwo Asare Baffour Acheampong (KABA), sources within the military have provided fresh information which goes against the official narrative that the killing of the 31-year old Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama was a case of mob justice.
The plot to kill was there, KABA said on Asempa FM’s ‘Eko Si S3n’ Monday.
Weeks before the tragedy, four soldiers were nearly killed in the Denkyira-Obuasi community in the Central region.
KABA revealed that Captain Maxwell Mahama had been stationed at the illegal mining hub as a platoon commander for a detachment sent there to help fight illegal mining, the cause of severe environmental degradation.
From January to March, the Captain stayed in Denkyira-Obuasi but came down to Accra to write an exam that would earn him a promotion to Major.
Whiles away, a lieutenant was sent there to stand in for the student Captain.
As part of the fight against illegal mining, the lieutenant led a raid on some mining pits and seized equipment which was later transported to Takoradi in the Western region.
Deprived of their equipment for mining, the miners were reportedly enraged at the lieutenant for the raid.
According to KABA, the miners under the guise of making peace with the lieutenant invited him for a meeting.
But the solider turned down the invitation to personally meet these unnamed persons and delegated junior ranks to attend.
The four soldiers whose name he withheld, are all Warrant Officers.
They barely left the peace talks in one piece. The soldiers were beaten and only managed to escape using a truck as the miners watched them speed off in rage.
Back to base, the soldiers were queried by superiors for attending a meeting outside their base. The lieutenant apparently denied authorising their departure for the said meeting.
Without approval, the four WOs were sent to the guard room in Accra as part of disciplinary measures.
Captain Maxwell Mahama after finishing his exams relieved the lieutenant of his duties and resumed work.
No one told him of the past deadly aggression faced by the four soldiers, KABA said.
This lack of intelligence sharing proved fatal as the ‘naive’ Captain walked into a trap set by the miners who once again called for a meeting.
That meeting was his lynching.
Assisted by other townfolks, the Captain was attacked with stones, blocks, sticks until he died at about 10:30am Monday.
According to KABA, the military are aware of this account and are investigating this twist.
The Captain has been promoted posthumously to Major by the President, Nana Akufo-Addo.