The Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice say Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s allegations in his report on illegal mining activities in the country are empty and do not have evidence to prosecute the persons named in it.
It follows the conclusion of its review of a docket submitted by the police on the allegations contained in a 36-page document written by Prof. Frimpong Boateng entitled “Report on the work of IMCIM so far and the way forward”.
The A-G’s advice issued on Tuesday, September 12, and delivered to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service on Thursday, September 14, which was signed by a Chief State Attorney, Evelyn Keelson, said it cannot recommend prosecution of any of the persons named in the report.
The Attorney-General has thus asked the police to discharge the persons mentioned except those still under investigation.
“The Attorney-General indicates that, after careful study of the report, the various documents and pen drives submitted to the police did not disclose any evidence in support of the allegations made against the persons cited in the report, with the exception of Seth Mantey, John Ofori Atta, and Ekow Ewusi, in respect of whom the A-G instructs the police to conclude their investigations and present a report to him.”
“The A-G’s advice, however, notes that even though the police diary of action shows that John Ofori Atta was invited by the police, there is no indication that he was interviewed or that a statement was taken from him. There is also no statement from Mr. Ekow Ewusi on the docket. The AG instructed the police to wind up investigations on that issue and furnish him with a report on the same.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, the former Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), submitted the names of people in government who frustrated his effort to fight what is locally called ‘galamsey’ when he was Environment Minister.
In the said document, the renowned surgeon mentioned some individuals he claims frustrated his effort and the committee he chaired from addressing the canker.
“Throughout our struggle with illegalities in the small-scale mining sector, what baffled me was the total disregard of the President’s commitment to protecting the environment.
“I can state without any equivocation that many party officials from the national to the unit committee level had their friends, PAs, agents, relatives, financiers, or relatives engaged in illegal mining. Most of them engaged Chinese workers for them.
“I am not referring to party people who had their legitimate concession and were mining sustainably as they were instructed to do.
“There are appointees in the Jubilee House that are doing or supporting illegal mining or interfering with the fight against the menace,” excerpts of the document said.
Professor Frimpong also accused a former NPP MP in the Ashanti Region of selling illegally acquired concessions at GH¢200,000 each.
According to him, this “infuriated the party in the constituency, so during the 2020 primaries to select a candidate, the electorate voted against the NPP MP, the then sitting MP, who was more resourced than other candidates.
However, some of the people mentioned in the report denied the same.
The celebrated heart surgeon and founder of the National Cardiothoracic Center was subsequently interrogated by the police and a report was sent to the Attorney-General for advice.
