The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has urged the Ellembelle District Police Command and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the clashes between the youth of Anwia and Teleku-Bokazo.
The clashes led to military reinforcement leading to the death of one person with others severely injured.
He also called on the affected communities to exercise restraint and calm down pending investigations to establish the truth and justice delivery.
The youth of Anwia and Teleku-Bokazo on Friday, April 01, 2022 besieged the forecourt of the Nkroful Magistrate Court in solidarity with an alleged arrest of 40 illegal miners (galamseyers) on Adamus Mines concessions resulting in gunshots, death, and injury.
The incident which occurred during a scuffle between the youth and the military left one Mr Andrew Donkor,33 of Teleku-Bokazo dead upon arrival at the St Martin De Porres Hospital at Eikwe with four others who sustained life-threatening wounds, on admission.
Sharing a moment of grief with the family of the dead and injured youth, Mr Kofi Buah recalled that the incident “is a sad reminder of the tension that had characterized the relationship between the communities and Adamus Mining company since the mining company began operations in the area.”
The MP said, “it is time for a united approach to deal with the root causes of these recurring incidents to ensure peace and justice.”
An eyewitness account by one of the youths at the forecourt of the court, Mr Francis Nkrumah, indicated that upon arrival at the court premise, the Chief of Teleku-Bokazo entered the court to plead on bail conditions for the galamseyers.
As the youth from Anwia and Teleku-Bokazo were waiting for the chief at the forecourt of the court, a soldier on guard started videoing the crowd.
He said, “the group asked the soldier to stop videoing them else, they would also video him.”
However, as the soldier continued videoing them, then they also started videoing him, he explained.
Mr Nkrumah said the action angered the soldier and he started firing warning shots into the pebbles and later fired through the crowd which killed one and injured several others.
All efforts by the Ghana News Agency to reach the Ellembelle District Police Command and DCE proved futile.
Meanwhile, calm has been restored to the area as soldiers have been stationed at all entry points of Adamus Mines from Esiama to Anwia.
The 40 galamseyers have since been put behind bars at the Esiama Police Station.
Ashantibiz
