Court remands ten persons for violent attack on a mine

Ten people, alleged to have violently attacked the Keegan Mining Resource, a mining company at Esaase Bontefufuo in the Amansie West District, have been remanded into prison custody by the Nkawie Circuit Court.

They were also alleged to have beaten up some police officers and private security personnel.

The accused face charges of conspiracy to commit crime, possessing narcotic drugs and firearms without authority, causing unlawful damage and assaulting public officers.

They are Johnson Frank, 21, Peter Obeng, 18, Bashiru Mohammed, Papa Yaw Asante, 23, Akwasi Mensah, 29, Mathew Obeng, 19, Kwame Owusu, 20, Akwasi Amofa, 30, Kofi Mensah, 29, and Kwaku Owusu.

Their pleas were not taken and would re-appear on, Tuesday, November 8.

The ringleader, one Gyambibi, is however, on the run.

Police Sergeant Jonas Adjei told the court presided over by Justice Noble Nkrumah that the incident happened on October 29, 2011.

The group attempted to steal some stones containing gold ore from the mine but they were thwarted by the chief security officer, who alerted two police officers detailed there.

They threatened to kill the security officer and his family and a formal report was made to the police at Nkawie.

The prosecution said Police Superintendent Kofi Adu, the Nkawie Commander, led some men to arrest them but the group violently attacked them, leaving the uniform of the Commander torn.

They also set a vehicle belonging to the company on fire.

The police called for reinforcement and managed to arrest the 10.

The police retrieved from them some firearms and narcotic drugs.

Source: GNA