Kwabeng Residents Calls for immediate Prosecution of Illegal Miners

There is tension among residents of Akyem Kwabeng in the Eastern region as residents are agitating and peeved over the delay of police to arraigns some illegal miners arrested on Monday before the court for prosecution.

Some Personnel alleged to be National Security Operatives arrested seven (7) illegal miners on the Birim River in anti -galamsey operation conducted in Atewa West District in the Eastern Region.

The operation by the security operatives was led by a civilian known as Jagabo, a popular miner in the Sankubenase community on Monday evening. The suspects were handed over to the Akyem Kwabeng Police but opinion leaders in the community are suspicious about the operations of the police.

According to them, persons who parade as National Security Operatives always come to the community to make arrests of illegal miners and in connivance with the local Police, take monies from the suspects and set them free.

They have therefore informed the District Chief Executive for the area, Isaac Asamoah Akomaning to ensure that the suspects are prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to other recalcitrant illegal miners still mining on the Birim River.

An opinion leader, who spoke to William Ofori on anonymity stated, “the national security operatives and a certain boy in Sankubenase called Jagabo who was a miner led to the arrest of these Chanfai illegal miners and have handed over the suspects to the police. Added that this is what they have been doing. The (National Security) come here to arrest illegal miners, but they connive with the Police and take monies from them, and let them flee from the place.”

However, one Atinga Ebenezer, well known as Brother had opined, that "the Police were allegedly demanding Ghc25,000 from each suspect for their release but they were struggling to raise the amount".

“They were arrested yesterday, June 1, 2021, around 4:30 pm by claimed national security operatives, and are all in Police Custody. The police say we should bring Ghc25,000 but we have managed to get Ghc4,000".

The Police say if we are not able to get the money by the close of today, we shall be arranged before the court for prosecution,” he narrated.

According to the residents, when they contacted the Kwabeng District Police Commander, DSP Harold Opoku Yamoah, angrily refuted the allegations. He said the suspects were in police custody and being prepared to be arraigned before court.“Are the people outside? Don’t do that. The DCE just called me to ask me about it. You are the one told him. They can go to hell. If they are wise they should wait till I release them before they come out with all these unjustified allegations. Added that, wise people can wait till I release them before they come out with such unsubstantiated allegation".

The angrily DSP Opoku Yamoah questioned! What sort of people are these? The police will struggle with our limited resources to do arrests and instead of people to hail for our good work done, they rather come and worry us with this nonsense?" They can speculate, the people are in Custody”, he stressed

William Ofori Akwaboah, Eastern Region