Chinese in Ghana warn of legal action over ‘false claims’ on Z9 helicopter crash

The Chinese Community in Ghana has urged the public to desist from spreading what it calls false and damaging narratives about the Z9 military helicopter that crashed in the Ashanti Region earlier this month.

Through its lawyers, DKAM Consult, the Community issued a cautionary letter dated August 25, 2025, warning that recent commentaries describing the aircraft as substandard or inferior are without any basis.

“The findings from the examination of the Black Box have not, as of this date, been made public by the military authorities who operate and utilize the Z9 helicopter for such bad and disparaging commentaries to be made about it,” the statement said.

The lawyers argued that the remarks circulating on social media and in parts of the press were misleading and potentially harmful to Ghana’s relations with China. “China has maintained long-standing and cordial relations with the Republic of Ghana, resulting in cooperation across various fields, including economic collaboration and assistance,’’ the letter added.

It also said that anyone who persists in publishing or sharing such claims will face legal consequences. “Under the circumstances, any individual or group that persist in spreading false information concerning the cause of the Z9 Chinese-made helicopter crash… will be held accountable under the laws of Ghana,” the lawyers stated.

They further stressed that the commentary not only misleads the public but also tarnishes the image of the Ghana Armed Forces and undermines confidence in Chinese-made aircraft. “Such malicious conduct, do not only misleads the general public and tarnishes the reputation of the Ghana Armed Forces, but also seeks to cast unwarranted doubt on the quality and credibility of Chinese-made aircraft, thereby straining the long-standing diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation between the two nations,” it read.

The letter concluded with a caution: “Henceforth, those engaged in such actions should be aware that legal proceedings will be instituted against such persons in a court of law, seeking punitive damages and all other remedies available under the Ghanaian law, to deter further acts of misinformation and to protect the mutual interests of Ghana and China.’’

This comes in the wake of the August 6, 2025, helicopter crash at Adansi Akrofuom in the Ashanti Region that claimed the lives of eight people, including Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. The delegation was on a mission connected to the launch of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) when the Z9 helicopter went down in a forested area.

All victims have since been buried, while investigations into the cause of the disaster are still underway.