The community of Gomoa Akoti in the Gomoa East District has been plunged into grief and outrage following the brutal murder of 63-year-old Kwame Boateng, a private security officer, in what is believed to be a targeted attack by thieves attempting to steal components from a power transformer.
Boateng, employed by Debridge, a private security company, was killed while on night duty at a factory site under construction as part of the government’s One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative.
His lifeless body was discovered at the facility in the early hours of Friday, tied at both hands and feet, with a black plastic bag covering his head, pointing to possible suffocation as the cause of death.
Scattered near the scene were dismantled components of a power transformer and electrical cables, suggesting that the motive behind the gruesome act was theft.
The stolen transformer reportedly belonged to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and is believed to have been targeted for its valuable copper content, a commodity in high demand due to soaring scrap metal prices.
Boateng’s bereaved family, devastated by the senseless killing, is demanding swift and decisive action from the police.
“We are counting on the police to conduct swift investigations into the issue and have the perpetrators arrested to bring justice,” said Kwame Koomson, a distraught relative, in an interview with Citi News.
Another family member added that only the prompt apprehension of the suspects would bring them any measure of comfort or closure.
The murder has sent shockwaves through the Gomoa Akoti community, igniting widespread concerns about rising crime rates, especially in developing industrial zones.
Community leaders are now urging the government and law enforcement agencies to take urgent steps to beef up security around 1D1F project sites and other critical infrastructure.
“This is a painful and unacceptable tragedy. We cannot allow criminals to continue targeting these projects that are meant to benefit the very communities they are now terrorizing,” one opinion leader remarked.
This incident underscores a wider national issue: the theft and vandalism of public infrastructure. The ECG has repeatedly sounded the alarm over the millions of cedis lost annually due to the illegal dismantling of power equipment, including transformers and cables.
The company has pointed to the increasing market for scrap metal and copper as a driving factor behind these crimes, which often go hand-in-hand with violence and destruction.
Kwame Boateng’s death is not just a personal loss—it is also a sobering reminder of the risks faced by workers protecting national assets. His murder highlights the pressing need for enhanced surveillance, rapid response teams, and community policing models in emerging industrial areas.
As police continue their investigations, the community of Gomoa Akoti waits anxiously for justice—hoping that those responsible will be brought to book and that stronger security safeguards will be introduced to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Kwame Boateng died serving his country’s industrial future. His killers must not walk free.
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