The Bono East Regional Command of the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) has arrested five suspects in connection with the theft of some food items meant for distribution to some Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the region.

The suspects are Michael Damuah, the Chief Store Keeper at Techiman Senior High School and his Assistant, Madam Rebecca Twum Yeboah, Mr Yaw Owusu, the owner of Kia Rhino truck with registration number AS 9584-14, Mr Kwabena Opong, the Driver of the truck and Emmanuel Alexander, the driver’s mate.

They allegedly connived and stole 56 bags of 50 kilogrammes of “Lucy branded”, rice to be supplied to the Jema SHS in the Kintampo South District and the Kintampo SHS in the Kintampo North Municipality of the Region.

Mr Kwasi Adu-Gyan, the Bono East Regional Minister, announced the arrest at a news conference held in Techiman.

He said the driver and his mate were arrested on Thursday November 21, 2024, at Tuobodom where the NIB seized the stolen rice packed in two tricycles with registration numbers M-19-BA 1659 and M-21-BT 5901.

He explained that the driver and his mate had picked the food items from the Techiman SHS, a food distribution point, saying instead of sending them to the beneficiary schools, they rather diverted the items.

Mr Adu-Gyan condemned the act, describing it as sad and unacceptable, saying the suspects would be prosecuted.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that some food items, including bags of millet, Gari, cartons of milk, tom-brown, bags of sugar, soya beans, maize, gallons of cooking oil and large sachets of Choco Milo meant for feeding the students were also seen kept in an isolated room at the stores.