Soldiers attack police galamsey task force; release arrested Chinese illegal miners at Manso

Soldiers attack police galamsey task force; release arrested Chinese illegal miners at Manso

- A galamsey task force has clashed with a group of soldiers and private bodyguards in the Manso forest in the Ashanti region

- The task force had tried to effect the arrest of seven Chinese nationals engaged in illegal mining in the forest but were prevent by the soldiers

- Media men accompanying the task force were attacked and forced to delete all the footage recorded

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There was a near-altercation at a mining site at Tontokrom in the Manso area of the Ashanti as a task force tried to arrest Chinese people engaged in illegal mining (galamsey).

According to a report YEN.com.gh has sighted on Joy News TV, the task force was stopped from effecting the arrest of the Chinese by a group of military men and other heavily built guards.

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Narrating the episode in a report, Joy News' Erastus Asare Donkor indicated that the task force, on their usual rounds, went into the Manso forest area.

30 fully-armed military protecting miners pillaging Manso Forest
30 fully-armed military protecting miners pillaging Manso Forest Photo: Joy News TV
Source: Facebook

They met the presence of some Chinese who were busily engaged in mining activities in the forest area.

After talking for a while, the task force arrested the Chinese while they also found a number of military uniforms hanging in the makeshift rooms on the compound.

Not long after, the task force was confronted by the military men numbering about 30, and with the support of the private guards, they overpowered them.

The private guards who are reportedly affiliated to the NPP's Delta and Invincible Forces attacked the media crew, smashing the car windscreen and a side mirror.

The media crew was detained and it took the intervention of high officers for them to be released.

Per Asare Donkor's report, their checks at the Ministry of Environment and Science indicates the owner, Heritage Imperial Donald Tuah had claimed to have licences . Their checks show that the company only has a prospecting licence, making their activities in the forest illegal.

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In other news, the Supreme Court has thrown out John Mahama’s application for interrogatories.

According to the apex court, the hearing of the petition is time-bound, hence, no room for interrogatories.

Mahama filed a petition before the court to challenge the outcome of the 2020 presidential race.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

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