Frimpong Boateng’s galamsey report bare and provide no basis for prosecution – Attorney General
Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame has categorically said that the evidence in Professor Frimpong Boateng’s illegal mining report is insufficient and provides no grounds for prosecution.
The A-G’s response followed the conclusion of a review conducted on a docket submitted by the police.
The docket pertained to the allegations contained in a 36-page report authored by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng titled “Report on the work of IMCIM so far and the way forward”.
In his report, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, former Environment Minister and Chairman of the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) named top government officials supposedly involved in illegal mining activities.
Persons cited in the report are Laud Commey, Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe, Frank Asiedu Bekoe [all three are Jubilee House appointees], Joseph Albert Quarm [a former Manso Nkwanta MP], Charles Owusu [Director of Operations at the Forestry Commission], Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (late), Captain (rtd.) Kojo Koda, Donald Entsuah, and an unnamed former Member of Parliament for Wassa East.
Seth Mantey [a journalist with Peace FM], John Ofori Atta [Central Regional Security Coordinator] and Ekow Ewusi are alleged to be involved in the sale of excavators, whilst Gabby Otchere Darko, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Kwaku Baako Jnr., are said to have done acts which directly or indirectly inhibited the professor in his fight against illegal mining.
However, the Attorney-General’s office has found that the said allegations lack the necessary evidentiary support required for legal action.
“After a careful study of the report, the various documents and pen drives submitted to the police, we do not find 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.
“It is recorded that several attempts by the police to obtain further information from Professor Frimpong Boateng to substantiate the allegations made in the report and assist them in conducting further investigation proved futile.
“The professor refused to provide any further information to the police. He also declined to give a written statement, claiming his report is an embodiment of his statement and all the information he has on the allegations. Investigations by the police have not revealed any evidence in support of the allegations,” the A-G said.
The A-G’s office concluded that the allegations are bare and do not provide a basis for any criminal charge against the named persons except the three persons mentioned above.
The office is therefore awaiting the outcome of the investigations being conducted in the case of Seth Mantey, John Ofori-Atta and Ekow Ewusi.
The document was signed by the Chief State Attorney Evelyn D. Keelson.
Below is the full document.