The Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to arrest and prosecute the individuals responsible for the violent attack on three staff members of The Multimedia Group at Manso Nkran.
Among the victims was Erastus Asare Donkor, an award-winning journalist known for his relentless activism against illegal mining.
The three journalists were reportedly filming the environmental devastation caused by illegal mining activities when over ten heavily armed men, allegedly working for Edelmetallum Resources Limited, abducted them. The armed assailants took the team to an undisclosed location, brutally assaulted them, and seized their equipment before abandoning them.
An official complaint has been lodged at the Manso Edubia police station, but as of yet, no arrests have been made. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Convener of the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining, expressed his frustration, urging the IGP to take swift action: “If the judiciary, executive, or legislature had been attacked, would the police have responded with such inaction?” he asked.
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu is also calling for the immediate arrest of the mining site owners for allegedly violating the Vigilantism and Related Offenses Act. He argued that the owners should be held accountable for hiring others to commit crimes on their behalf. “This is an open-and-shut case,” Kpebu stated. “The owners must answer for their actions; it’s not just about the thugs.”
Despite the gravity of the incident, the police are yet to make any progress, leaving the media fraternity and activists demanding justice.