Committee set up to investigate alleged killing by Forestry Commission task force

The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, says a committee has been set up to probe the killing of two brothers at a mining site at Mfante near Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North municipality of the Ashanti region.

The victims, Abdul Samed Razak, 35, and Hashmil Usman, 25, were allegedly shot dead by a security task force of the Forestry Commission on November 11, 2023.

Mr. Duker stated in an interview, “I would not want to preempt the outcome of the report. We have set up a committee to investigate the matter and I believe they have been on the field, and they will bring back a report for us to in a way disaggregate it, and when we go through and anybody is found culpable the person will be dealt with accordingly because nobody is above the law”.

“We need to follow the principles and spirit of the law to deal with some of these things. It is very unfortunate. We send our deepest condolences to the bereaved family. We believe we will not just sweep it under the carpet. We will make sure that we deal with the matter,” he added.

In 2021, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources commissioned a community mining scheme to be operated by the Ensuro Group of Companies.

However, some have alleged that the mining site was a cover-up for illegal mining activities, which the minister has denied.

“This is a form of regularising illegal mining, so we are using this model to bring all the teeming youth together to guide them to mine responsibly,” he clarified.

The family of the deceased has since been seeking justice for the departed souls.

Mr Duker has assured the bereaved family of the government’s commitment to ensuring that the culprits face justice.