Story: News Desk

Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu has described Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame’s opinion on former Environment Minister, Dr Kwabena Frimpong Boateng’s report on illegal mining as a whitewash and incomplete.

According to Kpebu, the AG’s opinion should not be accepted. He thinks the AG must reverse his opinion on the matter.

The AG has concluded that Prof Frimpong Boateng’s allegations in his report on illegal mining activities in the country are empty and do not have evidence to prosecute the persons named to have committed mining and other offences.

The Attorney-General has therefore asked the police to discharge persons mentioned in the report except those still under investigation.

Speaking to the media in an interview, Mr Kpebu explained that the Attorney General’s report does not talk about investigations in the forest, therefore they ought to move to the grounds to ascertain the facts.

He said that Dr Frimpong Boateng has no case of evidence to submit since he has already given enough pointers, adding that authorities can investigate the issue of ‘galamsey’ with the information provided so far and that Dr Frimpong Boateng is not needed to further prove anything.

“Dr Frimpong Boateng’s report itself makes it clear that Gabby Otchere-Darko called Frimpong Boateng and told him that C and J Aleska were lawfully in the forest. So from these facts, it’s clear that C and J Aleska were in the Apraprama Forest where they polluted River Offin and destroyed the forest. But he (Otchere-Darko) maintained that they had the right papers. Frimpong Boateng said they don’t.

“I don’t see any part of the report that dealt with this question. Did they go to the forest to find out what destruction took place? Did they go to the Mineral’s Commission to find out if C and J Aleska had the right papers? Did they go to the Forestry Commission? You don’t need Frimpong Boateng to come to give you any further details. No!,” he stressed.