The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Dr. Ken Ashigbey, is calling on the Attorney General to revisit the case involving the assault of Citi FM journalist Akwasi Agyei Annim by illegal miners at a galamsey site in the Wassa Amenfi West District of the Western Region.

Dr. Ashigbey wants the docket recalled for further investigation, particularly into the nature of the charges brought against the accused.

Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar on mining laws and mine security—organised by the Chamber of Mines for judges and police investigators—Dr. Ashigbey questioned why the accused persons were charged only with assault, rather than under the more stringent provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, Act 703, and its amendment, Act 995.

“My mind goes back to the issues of the attack on the Citi FM journalist in this particular region and the way that case was handled. How is it that you get a journalist who is assaulted in covering an illegal mining activity and then all you just get is that the accused person who fortunately is arrested is only charged with assault and then you have a paltry fine that is given to this person and this person walks away when we have the issues of the person sinning against the Minerals and Minning Act and the penalties are very clear,” he stated.

Dr. Ashigbey called on both the Attorney General and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to intervene and ensure that the case is reopened.

“It is important that in this particular case, the Attorney General goes and looks into this case again and sees what charges were brought against this particular person,” he added.

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