Bare allegations in Frimpong-Boateng’s galamsey report not sufficient for prosecution – AG

The Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame has revealed that Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and a former chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) has failed to provide the necessary evidence to back his report on illegal mining for the prosecution of persons indicted.

“Several attempts by the Police to obtain further information from Professor Frimpong Boateng to substantiate the allegations in the Report and to assist them to conduct further investigations 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,” the Attorney-General advised the Police CID.

The A-G’s advice, dated 12th September 2023, and delivered to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service on 14th September 2023, was signed by a Chief State Attorney, Mrs. Evelyn Keelson, of the Prosecutions Division of the Office of the Attorney-General.

The A-G’s advice also states that investigations by the Police have not revealed any evidence in support of the allegations made by Professor Frimpong Boateng against any of the persons cited in his report. “The allegations are, therefore, bare and do not provide a basis for any criminal charge against the persons cited in the Report,” the Advice stated.

The A-G also stated that the Police diary of action shows that John Ofori Atta was invited by the police, but there is no indication that he was interviewed or that a statement was taken from him. There is also no statement from Mr. Ekow Ewusi on the docket. The A-G instructed the Police to wind up investigations on that issue and furnish him with a report on same.

The Attorney-General’s Advice concludes that “in the absence of any evidence on the docket in support of any of the allegations of illegal mining activities, we are unable to recommend the prosecution of any of the persons cited in the Report.

“They should therefore be discharged. We, however, await the outcome of the investigations conducted in the case involving Seth Mantey, John Ofori Atta and Ekow Ewusi.”

Source: Citinewsroom