7 ‘defiant’ Menzgold customers arrested in Kumasi; set for court today

Seven aggrieved customers of gold dealership, Menzgold, have been arrested in Kumasi for alleged breaches of the law.

Three of them were first arrested Tuesday morning at the Amakom for what the Police say is a violation of the Public Order Act and verbally abusing police officers during a demonstration by hundreds of the company’s branch.

The customers who were from various parts of the country were demonstrating to demand a refund of their investments which have been locked up for months as the company’s operations have since September 2018 been shut down.

Four other customers who were a part of the demonstration were later arrested when they allegedly stormed the police station in what the police described as an “unlawful manner,” to secure bail for three colleagues arrested earlier.

All seven suspects, who were granted bail Tuesday, are to be arraigned on charges of unlawful assembly and offensive conduct Wednesday before the Kumasi Circuit Court.

Background

Hundreds of customers of Menzgold on Tuesday morning defied orders from the police service and stormed the Amakom branch of the company to demand a refund of their investments.

Even though the Ashanti Regional Police Command has earlier warned the aggrieved customers to suspend their planned demonstration because it was “illegal”, the customers did not budge.



The customers blocked the main road from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to Adum (Tech-Adum road) and burnt car tyres in front of the gold dealership firm.

The angry-looking customers explained they took the action because they were fed up with the numerous failed promises by Chief Executive Officer of the company, Nana Appiah Mensah.

They did not understand why Mr. Appiah Mensah was walking a free man despite his alleged breaches of the law, indicating despite petitions to president Nana Akufo-Addo and Parliament, nothing have been done about their case.