The Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has revealed that former Minister Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, has not provided sufficient evidence to support his report on illegal mining for prosecution.
The A-G’s advice to the Police on the matter contained this information.
“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 was dated September 12th, 2023, and delivered to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service on September 14th, 2023.
It was signed by the Chief State Attorney of the Prosecutions Division of the Office of the Attorney-General, Mrs. Evelyn Keelson.
The A-G’s advice states that Police investigations have not found any evidence supporting Professor Frimpong Boateng’s allegations against any of the individuals mentioned 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,” it said.
The A-G also stated that the Police diary of action shows that police invited John Ofori Atta, but there is no indication that he was interviewed or that a statement was taken from him. Mr. Ekow Ewusi’s statement is also missing from the docket. The A-G directed the Police to complete their investigation and provide him with a report on the matter.
“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.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
