The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ellembele, Kwesi Bonzo has expressed optimism that the Police Service will find the other missing excavator after the retrieval of one excavator.
He spoke to the media after the release of four other persons who were arrested for interrupting operations of security personnel.
Mr Bonzo says, the level of harm galamsey activities are causing on their lands is unacceptable and called on the Police to find the owners of the equipment to face the full rigours of the law.
” We thank the Police Service so far for retrieving one of the excavators.
Meanwhile, there’s one more excavator to be found. We are confident that the same process through which they found one, will use the same process to find the other.
Also, the owners of the excavators must be found and brought to book. Because if you look at the level of degradation that these two excavators have caused our lands, there’s no way these owners can go scot-free,” He stated.
Mr Bonzo, however, remains unabated to continue to fight illegal mining in his district in line with the President’s mission on stamping out illegal mining also known as galamsey.
” As I indicated earlier, I will fight till my last blood to make sure that these excavators are found. The level of damages on the lands, water bodies that have gone on in my district, no DCE will sit down for that damage and keep quiet,” He noted.
The DCE was earlier arrested for allegedly attacking the police with some accomplices during an operation to retrieve the excavator.
He was charged with five counts, according to his lawyer, Salome Erica Abakah.
His charges included assault, conspiracy to commit assault, resisting arrest and two others.
Although he and his accomplices appeared before the Takoradi Circuit Court-A on Thursday, September 8, 2022, the case was not called.
The case was referred to the Western Regional Police Headquarters.
The accomplices were later granted a Police Enquiry bail according to his lawyer
