A pastor identified as Kwaku Gyebi of the House of Prayer Evangelistic Ministry at Twifo-Praso has been arrested by the police for allegedly engaging in illegal mining at Perwudiein in the Central Region.
He was reportedly arrested on Sunday following a formal petition by the Minerals Commission for his alleged involvement in the criminal act.
The suspect is being held in police custody to assist with investigations.
The petition signed by Mr Charles Zantione, the Acting District Officer of the Minerals Commission in Assin Fosu, was copied to Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Central Regional Minister.
The petition implored them to arrest and prosecute Gyebi for illegal mining to deter others.
Per the records of the Commission, the suspect had two concessions at Mintaso (GMA Gyebi Mining Enterprise and Eastside Precious Mining Enterprise).
However, he operated outside the confines of his allocated concessions and had no mineral rights over his mining site.
The Commission alleged that the suspect intimidated and chased away prospective concessionaires from their respective sites by forcefully claiming to own areas that did not belong to him.
It further accused the suspect and his armed men of vehemently resisting the Commission’s order to stop working on the site and drove its inspection team out.
Again, the Commission said the suspect did not observe any provisions for him to reclaim the mined-out portions of the site.
The Commission claims that the suspect’s illegal mining activities were not environmentally friendly and posed a risk to people in neighbouring communities.
