The Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice has cleared government officials of allegations of illegal mining activities made by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and a former chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
In a 36-page document titled “Report on the work of IMCIM so far and the way forward”, Frimpong-Boateng alleged that some government officials and private citizens were involved in illegal mining activities, popularly known as “galamsey”.
Persons cited in the report as being involved in illegal mining activities included Laud Commey, Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe, Frank Asiedu Bekoe a.k.a. Protozoa, Joseph Albert Quarm, Charles Owusu, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, Captain (Rtd.) Edmund Kojo Koda, Donald Entsuah and an unnamed former Member of Parliament for Wassa East Constituency.
Attorney-General’s response
However, the Attorney-General, in an advice to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, said that investigations by the police have not revealed any evidence in support of the allegations.
“The allegations are therefore bare and do not provide a basis for any criminal charge against the persons cited in the Report,” the Attorney-General said.
The Attorney-General also noted that Frimpong-Boateng refused to provide any further information to the Police to substantiate the allegations in his report.
“The Professor refused to provide any further information to the police. He also declined to give a written statement, claiming his Report is ‘an embodiment of his statement’ and all the information he has on the allegations,” the Attorney-General said.
The Attorney-General, therefore, instructed the Police to discharge all government officials who were cited in Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s report.
However, the Attorney-General said that investigations are ongoing into allegations of illegal mining activities against Seth Mantey, John Ofori Atta and Ekow Ewusi.
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