A shocking revelation has emerged that the amount of money stolen from the residence of the Deputy Minister of Finance and MP for Ejisu, Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah, was far more than what was initially reported by the police.

According to a tweet by Ghana Crimes, a social media platform that reports on crime and justice issues in Ghana, the thieves made away with GHC 500,000, not GHC 50,000 as the police had claimed.

The tweet, which cited an unnamed source, suggested that the police had deliberately underreported the amount to avoid triggering a public outcry.

The tweet read: "To clarify, the amount stolen is ¢500,000, not ¢50,000. Our source suggests that the police initially stated ¢50,000 to avoid triggering a significant public reaction."

The tweet has sparked a lot of reactions from Ghanaians, some of whom expressed disbelief, anger, and suspicion over the incident. Some questioned the source and credibility of the information, while others demanded the police to produce a report and confirm the allegation. Some also praised the thieves for taking the money, which they believed was the result of corruption and theft of public funds.

The police have not responded to the tweet or issued any official statement on the matter. Dr. Kumah and his family have also not commented on the allegation.

The burglary occurred on the night of Friday, December 29, 2023, when Dr. Kumah and his wife, Apostle Lilian Kumah, were out attending a church event. The thieves broke into their house in Chantan, Greater Accra, and stole cash, household appliances, and documents, such as passports and birth certificates.

This is not the first time that a government official has been robbed of huge sums of money in Ghana. In July 2023, the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, reported a robbery at her house, where more than $1 million, €300,000, and other valuable items were allegedly stolen. She was later arrested by the Office of the Special Prosecutor for suspected corruption and corruption-related offences.

In August 2023, a presidential staffer, Hamida Nuhu, was also robbed of $114,500, £800, GH¢50,000, and €3,000, among other items, at her Premier Place home in the Airport Residential area of Accra. Eight people were arrested and charged with conspiracy and robbery in connection with the case.

In October 2020, the MP for Mfantseman, Ekow Quansah Hayford, was shot and killed by armed robbers on the Abeadze Dominase–Abeadze Duadzi–Mankessim Road, when he was returning from a campaign trip. Five people were arrested and charged with conspiracy and murder in relation to his death.

These incidents have raised concerns over the security of parliamentarians and the nature of their jobs. Over the years, MPs have asked for more security, citing the risks and threats they face in the course of their duties.