Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame has shot down claims by some individuals critical of the governments renewed fight against illegal mining that the state has failed to use its prosecutorial powers as a means of complementing efforts to battle galasmsey.
Speaking on Joynews’ News Profile on Saturday, May 29, 2021, Godfred Dame revealed that the state for the year 2021 alone, has successfully lined up some five cases against a total of 45 individuals including 10 Chinese nationals on offences bordering around the activities of illegal mining.
“It is five cases involving 45 persons, 10 of whom are Chinese. I think that must be placed on record,” he stated when the host, Samson Lardy Anyenini mentioned how people were questioning the government's commitment to prosecuting persons behind the galamsey menace.
Revealing further details of the cases, the Attorney General said the five cases included that of 32 alleged National Security Operatives who were arrested for illegal mining near Osinease in the Eastern Region.
The Minister added that all the arrests leading to the commencement of prosecution were made this year, thus forming part of the successes of the governments renewed fight against galamsey.
While the government has adopted several efforts including the burning and other demobilization methods of seized illegal mining equipment, some Ghanaians say they do not see the government making efforts to bring the persons behind the illegal act to book.
But according to the Attorney General, such impressions by the public are erroneous.
Dame justified and reiterated the government's position on the burning of seized equipment including excavators.
Just as stated by the President, the Attorney General argued that rights cannot be accrued from illegal acts.
He further argued that as feared by some people, the burning of the seized illegal mining equipment holds no tendency to cause a judgment debt against the state.
