AngloGold Ashanti reports death of victim in shooting incident
A 23-year old man, who was allegedly shot by a private security man on duty at South Tailings Storage facility of the Obuasi Mine, was on Sunday reported dead at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.
The deceased, Kwame Eric, married with two daughters was said to have illegally entered the storage dam with a group when the incident happened.
A press statement issued on Monday afternoon by AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) quoted the Managing Director of the Obuasi Mine, Mr Kwesi Enyan as saying: “Our heartfelt sympathies go to the family of the deceased.”
He reiterated the Company’s resolve to pursue internal investigations of the incident.
The statement said: “The incident is currently a subject of on-going Police investigation and AGA Ghana is fully supporting the Police investigation into the matter, which allegedly involved an employee of a private security firm contracted to AngloGold Ashanti.”
Meanwhile, a high-powered delegation from the Mine led by the Managing Director was expected to visit the family of the deceased at Binsere, near Obuasi.
Mr Enyan has re-affirmed the Company’s commitment to the internationally recognized human rights protocols and had served warning to security personnel employed by firms working with AGA in Ghana.
The deceased was shot last Wednesday August 10th at about 1930 hours during a shooting incident at the Mine by a detail of a private security organisation.
Eric was initially sent to the Government Hospital in Obuasi by colleagues. Subsequently he was provided medical assistance from the Company’s hospital in Obuasi but was later transferred to Kumasi Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
The Company reported the matter to the Obuasi Central Police Station and the Municipal Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice.
Commenting on the incident, Mr Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Executive Director of WACAM, a human rights and mining advocacy non-governmental organization, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that AngloGold Ashanti should be held fully responsible for the incident.
He condemned the act and said the Company had signed on to the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights that stated that companies which employed the services of security agencies were liable for their actions that violated human rights.
Mr Owusu-Koranteng said it was illegal for private security agencies to carry firearms and that they must act in accordance with internationally recognized human rights protocols.
Source: GNA