Police Clashed with COCOBOD Anti Illegal Mining Team at Brofoyedu, Ashanti Region

About Ten (10) Police officers from Obuasi District Command this afternoon clashed with COCOBOD Anti Illegal Mining Task Force at Brofoyedu in the Ashanti Region over police involvement in illegal mining activities at Old Atatam in the Fomena District.

Our reporter revealed that COCOBOD Anti Illegal Mining Desk went to organize sensitization exercise in the village and met illegal miners destroying cocoa farms with escavators. The farmers disclosed to COCOBOD that a team of police officers come to collect money from the miners almost every week and they are supposed to be in town any moment. Few minutes later COCOBOD team was informed that the police have arrived, going round taking money and removing parts of excavators from the miners.

When the sensitization exercise ended and COCOBOD officials left the scene, they met the police task force on their way. The tried to engage them but the police refused and requested to meet them at a distance but drove off upon reaching there. When they got to Brofoyedu barrier they were obstructed by one of the COCOBOD's vehicles and the two teams got down from their vehicles. the police wanted to use force and intimidation but that did not deter the COCOBOD officials leading to confrontation between the two institutions. One of the senior police officers threatened to open fire on COCOBOD officers.

In the heat of the confrontation, the Head of the COCOBOD delegation, Prof. Michael Kwateng, was trying to bring the situation under control while some of his team members were trying to capture the identity of the police. When the police saw this they drove off in order to hide their identity but did not succeed

COCOBOD Galamsey team were able to capture the vehicle with registration number GP 3401 and names of two officers of the police, namely P. A. Abdellah and one Amidu as part of the police officers.

There have been number of tip-off concerning police involvement in  such scandals. COCOBOD is burnt on ensuring that the activities of illegal mining are curtailed.

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