A forest guard affiliated with the Leopard Unit in the Asukese Forest Reserve, who vanished while on a mission to combat illegal logging in the Asukese Forest within the Suyani Forest District of the Bono Region, has been miraculously located alive.

Reports indicate that a driver from Zoomlion Ghana Limited stumbled upon the missing forest guard, Vitus Yourdong, in a distressing state near a refuse site in Nkawkaw, Eastern Region. His service uniform lay in tatters, both legs were bound with a rope, and his hands were handcuffed to his back, leaving investigators puzzled and the community in deep concern.

Saza Agbotiyao, the driver from Zoomlion Ghana Limited, reported that they came across him in that condition and unresponsive during the early hours of Monday, July 24, 2023, near the Asona refuse site while they were on their way to dispose of waste.

“We found him unconscious near the Asona refuse site when we went to dispose of rubbish with his legs tied and his hands handcuffed at his back”.

Narrating events leading to his disappearance, the victim disclosed that he was captured by three illegal operators after he left his other colleagues to ease himself in the forest.

“We went to Sunyani for an operation but after the operation, I told my other colleagues I wanted to ease myself so they said they will wait for me but I was captured by three men who harassed me and took me hostage”.

Sounded very surprised when his rescuers told him he was in Nkawkaw, he added that his captors took him to a different part of the forest and kept him there for over two weeks so he thought he was still in Sunyani.

“When they captured me, they took me to a different place, a cocoa forest and they only dump me here but I have been told here is Nkawkaw and I am surprised because I thought I was in Sunyani”.

Meanwhile, the victim is currently responding to treatment at the Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital.

On July 2, 2023, Vitus Yuordong was reported missing along with his equipment, including a pump-action gun with registration number AFOO63604, a machete, and a handbag prompting an extensive search in the reserve and nearby communities to find him.