Court refuses to hear 11 alleged illegal miners case
Court refuses to hear 11 alleged illegal miners case
Court refuses to hear 11 alleged illegal miners case
The Kaneshie District Court has refused to hear the case of 11 alleged
illegal miners (galamseyers) who were said to be mining in
the Atewa Forest under the guise of being National Security operatives.
In a ruling in Monday, May 10, 2021, the court held that the accused
persons were charged with possession of fire arms without lawful excuse,
but per the law, such a case could only be prosecuted with a written
consent from the Attorney-General (A-G).
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The Presiding Judge, Ms Ama Adomako Kwakye, held that the
prosecution had not provided any such written consent from the
A-G, and therefore there was no case before her.
She, therefore, decided not to rule on a bail application
by lawyers for the accused.
“As it stands now, there is no case before me to either rule on a bail
application or remand the accused persons,” she ruled.
The 11 are part of a group of 32 who were arrested while allegedly engaged
in illegal mining in the Atewa Forest in Akyem-Akateng in the Eastern Region.
