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(Update): 7 dead, only 5 rescued alive, many remain trapped underground – Eyewitness in Birim North galamsey disaster
File photo: Illegal miners mostly engage in a very perilous enterprise, going down unsecured burrows in search of gold.
Only five miners out of suspected 30 who were trapped under an illegal mining pit that caved in on Monday at Korley Teye in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region have so far been rescued alive.
Seven of the miners died in the ordeal, with locals frantically trying with all manner of implements to rescue the others.
An eyewitness, Frank Owusu Amoah, who said he and others rushed to the scene upon hearing news of the disaster, told Adom News that the five were rushed to the hospital with injuries but many more remained trapped as darkness set in.
The accident is thought to have occurred at about 10am, while he and others arrived at about midday. As at 5:30pm, no official rescue effort had been established at the scene, with only the miners and other locals doing what they could at rescue efforts.
He alleged that calls to the Police, Fire Service and National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) yielded no immediate results.
Frank Amoah also confirmed Adom News correspondent, Akwasi Dwamena’s earlier report that the illegal miners were ready to harm anyone attempting to take photographs at the scene because they did not want any attention drawn to the disaster.
Earlier on Monday, Akwasi Dwamena reported that the scene of the accident (Takorso site) at Korle Teye, is a busy galamsey site where many of the youth in the surrounding communities troop to each day to dig for gold.
At the time of Dwamena’s visit to the site, only two of the trapped miners had been rescued alive, with the lifeless bodies of the seven laid out in the open and covered with bushes.
While he was prevented from taking any photographs, he was also chased away.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
