The 50-year-old Farmer at AkyemKobriso, Ernest KorantengBotwe, who was arrested and assaulted by the Asamankese Police led by the Divisional Commander, ACP KankamBoadu has revealed that his life is in danger due to the death threats he has been receiving from some unknown people.
Mr KorantengBotwe, his wife and son were subjected to some ruthless beatings by a team of Police Officers on his own farmland at AkyemKobriso near Asamankese after several attempts to stop a mining company called Denkyira Mining company from mining Gold and destroying his land.
According to him, the Denkyira Mining company belongs to a chairman of the New Patriotic Party who has secured the protection of all the top hierarchy of the security services and based on that is able to mine Gold in any land of choice in the area without any interference.
Sources disclosed that the farmer was arrested on Sunday 11 April 2021 and sent to the Asamankese District court on Monday 12 April 2021 and remanded in prison custody for allegedly resisting arrest by the Police.
‘I am appealing to the President of Ghana, Nana AkufoAddo to help me. The President must save me. Anything can happen to me. I need help from the President’, he noted .
Ernest KwadwoKorantengBotwe was arrested by the Asamankese Police Command in the Eastern Region in an operation lead by the Divisional Police Commander, ACP KankamBoadu on Sunday 11 April 2021 for refusing to allow Denkyira Mining company to mine on his farmland
Mr. KorantengBotwe, his wife and family members were subjected to severe beatings and later dragged into a waiting Police vehicle to Asamankese where they were locked up in Police Cell, and sent to court the next day where he was remanded into Police Custody according to information gathered.
The wife collapsed in the process of molestation as she was dragged from her house into the waiting Police vehicle, according to Eye witness account.
According to sources, the Denkyira Mining Company claims it has permit from the Minerals Commission to mine in the farmlands. However, checks reveal that the permit does not fall within the area its claiming.
Speaking in an interview with the media before his arrest, Ernest KwadwoKorantengBotwe, popularly known as Bygoss said “Denkyira mining company which belongs to a man called Kofi Denkyira, has left his concession and currently mining on my farm land even though his concession does not share boundary with my farmland. I have personally called him to find out why he is encroaching on my land. With my knowledge and understanding of the mining laws, I tried on several occasions to talk to him to use the right process of acquiring farms lands for mining even if he has been given my farm land by the minerals commission, he has to pay the surface right (compensation) before he can work, but my further investigations from the minerals commission area office in Oda shows that he has moved from his concession and is currently working on my farmland and totally disregarding all the mining and environmental laws and regulations.”
“I reported the case to the Minerals Commissions at Oda and they agreed that my farmland was not granted to Denkyira to mine. They said the 20-acre concession given to Denkyira is far away from my land and that his concession does not share any boundary with my farm land. When the owner of the company was invited and interrogated by the Minerals Commission representative, he verbally assaulted him and threatened to deal with him. I have made several complaints to the Police in Asamankese since my area falls in the Asamankese Division. I have personally gone to the office of the Asamankese Divisional Police Commander to help us but he has refused to help. I got to know that he is the one giving the Denkyira mining company the support and protection to engage in the illegal act. So, we are appealing to the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo and the Minister of Lands and Forestry to release the Anti Galamsey squad to the place to stop the Denkyira Mining Company from further destroying of farm lands and the crops.”
When the Asamankese Police, Commander ACP KankamBoadu was contacted, he initially denied knowledge of the issue but subsequently dispatched a team of Police officers to arrest the farmer for allegedly insulting him
Meanwhile, the AkyemAbuakwa Traditional Council has made it clear that the said land belongs to Ernest KwadwoKorantengBotwe, alias Bygoss.
In a statement dated June 11, 2018, a letter signed by D M Ofori-Atta, state secretary said, “Following the resolution of the impasse between Baffour Kofi Bio and Mr. Ernest KwadwoKorantengBotwe alias Bygoss, by the Kyebi Executive Council, I am instructed to inform you as follows. That a proper deed of transfer or indenture has been executed between his Royal Majesty the Okyehene, OsagyefuoAmoatiaOforiPanin, the Allodial Owner and the said Ernest KwadwoKorantengBotwe. That the deed covers a total of 69.74-acre land lying and laying at Kobriso. That the deed now gives the lessee, Mr. Ernest KwadwoKorantengBotwe exclusive legitimate ownership over the said land for a period of Ninety-nine (99) years. That prior to the execution of the indenture, the lessee Ernest KwadwoKorantengBotwe had made various payments to the farmers and tenants on the said land. Consequently, I am instructed to inform you to take steps to ensure Mr. Botwe’s peaceful enjoyment of the said land.”
Interestingly Mr. Botwe is having a tough time on his farmland as attempts to destroy his land in underway.
