Luck eluded four notorious illegal miners who had connived with some natives of Wassa Juabo to disregard government’s ban on illegal mining commonly called ‘galamsey’, when they were busted, as they were busily doing illegal mining inside the Wassa Forest Reserve gold concession.
Interestingly, when they were apprehended and questioned, the suspects openly confessed that the concession belong to a large-scale Mining Company, C&G Aleksa Ltd and was sold to them by one Cecilia Gyapong of Agona Wassa family in Juabo, at a fee of GH¢40, 000, as ‘goodwill’.
The suspects, including a Chinese national and three Ghanaians were arrested by a military patrol which had been providing security to the company in that area, and handed over to the Bibiani police in the Western Region.
The name of the suspects were given as: Ibrahim Alhassan, Adamu Salifu, Kwame Duah and Quin Guandong, the only Chinese citizen among the locals. They also mentioned one Ahorlu Ernest and Obeng Edward as their principal leaders who are allegedly financing their operations.
Meanwhile, investigations have revealed that the same Cecilia Gyapong of Agona Wassa family, led by a certain Evans Kwafo whose real name is EVANS ADOMAKO and one George Kofi Amponsah, few weeks ago in a deceitful manner, held a Press conference in Kumasi and accused C&G Aleksa Mines of doing illegal mining. A claim the company vehemently denied.
The suspects have also confessed and revealed that as part of the agreement with Madam Cecilia Gyapong, they are expected to be paying 20 per cent of their proceeds every week to her in the course of their illegal business.
This Reporter is, however, informed that, ever since the suspects were apprehended and handed over to the police to be processed for court, efforts by the suspects to reach Madam Cecilia Gyapong whose name was mentioned – as having sold the concession to them, were unsuccessful.
Her phone has been switched off following the news of the arrest. The suspects, this Reporter gathered, were arraigned before a Biabiani Circuit court yesterday, Tuesday, April 17.
At the moment, information picked up by this paper suggests that some other individuals are scheming to also resell the same block A & B concession owned by C&G Aleksa Mines to unsuspecting illegal miners, in a similar manner.
For now, two excavators belonging to the suspects have been seized, including some sophisticated mining equipment being used at the sites for the illegal operations.
The activities of the illegal miners, have caused grave destruction at the site where they were arrested.
At the time of filing this report, this reporter is reliably informed there is intense pressure on the managers of Mining Company, through phone calls from some big men, pleading on behalf of the suspects, to drop the case for out of court settlement.
It is unclear if the company would succumb to the pressure and back down in the case, considering the conduct of some of the indigenes who have devised a dubious technique of constantly attacking the company, just to make it become unpopular to the authorities.
When contacted, General Manager of C & G Aleksa Ltd, Donald Entsuah, declined to comment on the issue, except to say the law should take its course.
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