Atiwa East DCE Ernest Ntim Speaks After Contempt Conviction: “It Is an Injustice Against Me”
- The District Chief Executive of Atiwa East has reacted to his contempt conviction in an illegal mining case
- Ernest Ntim has been accused of threatening to abuse his position as the area's District Chief Executive
- He was barred from engaging in any form of development or mining activity on a disputed piece of land
The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Atiwa East, Ernest Ntim, has denounced a ruling against him as an injustice and vowed to clear his name.
The DCE has also disclosed that an appeal has been filed by his legal representatives.
Source: Facebook
The Koforidua High Court 2 fined him GH¢12,000 for disobeying a court injunction that barred all parties from a parcel of land at the centre of an illegal mining and land dispute.
The court found that he entered the restricted site, willfully violating its order, with the GBC reporting that he had been given an eight-day jail term before it was commuted.
Ntim told Joy News that he would pay the fine and reiterated his innocence in the dispute.
He also stressed that he viewed the contempt ruling as an injustice and was going to appeal it.
"...You think that if a District Chief Executive, if I want to mine, I will need the office, take the excavator myself, can go to the land, and I will be sitting there using the excavator mining.
"I want to state it on record that I've never engaged in illegal mining."
What is Ernest Ntim being accused of?
According to the person challenging Ntim in the land dispute, although the court had restrained both parties from the disputed land, the Mahama administration appointee allegedly went onto the land, prompting the contempt proceedings.
It further barred them from grading or removing soil, digging pits or ditches, engaging in any form of mining activity, or dealing with the land in any manner whatsoever.
Court documents stated that on May 2, 2025, one of Ntim’s brothers was confronted at the site.
The brother reportedly claimed he had been nominated for the position of local government head for Atiwa East, and on his confirmation, no one could interfere in their activities.
A complaint was lodged with the Eastern South Regional Police Command at Kyebi on May 2, 2025, while the matter was still pending before the court.
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Asutifi North MP under fire over galamsey
YEN.com.gh also previously reported that the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, had been barred from travelling outside Accra by the High Court.
The MP, who is linked to the Mahama administration, was alleged to have incited violence against the Director of Operations for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NADMO).
He has denied the allegations stemming from the incident on November 1, 2025 and is currently on bail.
Preliminary investigations established that on November 1, 2025, the NADMO boss and his team intercepted illegal miners operating near Bronikrom in the Ahafo Region and arrested some suspects, prompting resistance from a mob.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
