Joe Ghartey: Ghanaian Minister’s pistol stolen in a hotel room

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A pistol belonging to Ghana’s Minister of Railway and Development, Joe Ghartey, has been stolen in his hotel room in the Ashanti region, DailyMailGh.com can reveal.

The minister and his bodyguard have made a report to the police and investigation is currently ongoing into a suspected burglary in his hotel room.

The incident happened at Georgia Hotel, a popular lodging facility at Nhyiaeso, about 15 minutes drive from the Kumasi Airport, police sources confirmed to DailyMailGH.com.

The Minister was said to have lodged in the facility when he arrived in Kumasi at about 6pm Thursday for a working visit at Asokwa.

The Minister on his return from the trip, detected that the weapon which was loaded with about 10 rounds of ammunition had been made away from his room.

It is not immediately known whether the burglars made away with other personal effects, but officials of the facility have since been informed of the matter.

The security detail of the Minister, who also doubles as Member of Parliament for Essikado/Ketan Constituency, have lodged an official complaint to the Ashanti Regional Police Command who have begun investigations into the matter.

MPs targeted?

There have been concerns about the safety of public officials, especially Members of Parliament in Ghana.

The Ashanti Regional Police Command is yet to make an arrest after armed men attacked Nhyiaeso Parliamentarian, Kennedy Kankam, and his family.

Police say three gunmen held the victims for over three hours before making away with some items from the legislator’s house including a 4-wheel drive vehicle at dawn one Sunday.

The unidentified assailants reportedly scaled a wall into the main yard of the MP’s residence and used a metal cutter to gain access to the bedroom of the legislator.

PRO of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, ASP Godwin Ahianyo, said the gunmen succeeded in robbing the MP and his family of an unspecified amount of money, a Land Cruiser vehicle and Pump Action gun.

Police have since retrieved the vehicle abandoned at Edwinase, about 15-kilometres away from the crime scene, but no arrest has been made yet.

Also, suspected murder of former Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, J.B Danquah Adu, in his house at Accra, is yet to be unraveled.

Two persons are standing trial at a law court in the nation’s capital, Accra.

By J. Ofori, Daily Mail GH