A 25-year-old excavator operator, Gausu Yusif, has been shot dead while his friend, Charles Essuman, remains in critical condition after unknown gunmen opened fire on them in the Awutu Kwame Whettey Forest in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region.

The duo were reportedly assigned to clear bushes and pave the way into the forest to take rock samples for stone quarry purposes.

The Awutu Bereku District Police said that the driver and his friend were using the excavator to pave the way into the forest when the unknown men on a motorbike opened fire on them.

The Awutu Bereku District Commander, Superintendent Edmond Nyamekye, who confirmed the incident, said investigations are ongoing amidst efforts to arrest the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Awutu Aberful, Nai Kojo Nam-Quaye, who handed over the rock to the Chinese investors, appealed to the IGP to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure justice is served.