By Patrick Biddah
The whereabouts of some of the anti galamsey protesters, who were arrested on September 22, 2024 by the Police, are not known.
Despite the charges levelled against some of the named protesters and their being arraignment before Court, other organisations connected to these individual demonstrators, still say there are some other protestors who cannot be accounted for.
Making this fresh revelation at a press conference on Friday, September 27, 2024, the Leader of the Economic Fighters League, Mr Ernesto Yeboah, said it has come to their notice that some 22 protesters cannot be found a week after they were picked up.
According to him, the treatment meted out to the over 50 accused persons, has heightened the worry of friends and families of the ‘missing ‘22.
These 22, he revealed were picked up during the demonstration, but were not among those who were brought to Court after they were charged.
He told The Herald that, the 22 have equally not been found at any of the police stations visited, which is creating more tension and injustice.
These unaccounted for protesters, he further pointed out are shuffled around indiscriminately by the police, making it impossible to ascertain their state of health and general need which includes their rights to legal counsel.
At the moment, these are the names of those 22 he said cannot be accounted for.
He gave their names as, Cederic Bansah, Michael Amofa, Emmanuel Offei, Iddrisu Yussif , Fanny Otoo, Samuel Samakor and Thomas Yeboah.
In addition are; Razak Sulema, Comrade Abubakar Sadeeq, Norgbedzi Kelvin, Mohammed King Hassan, Tanko Nabong, Phillip Owusu Cobbina, Akisibik Desmond, Sadik Yakubu and Kinglsey Asiedu.
The rest are, Seth Coffie, Vera Gloria Louis, Nii Quaye Hammond, Manuel Barsar Biney, Agbevi Mathias and Ernest Acheampong.
In view of the ‘disappearance ‘of these 22, he said they would not rest until the police produce them.
More streets protest, he announced will be staged across the country to drum home the release of the 22 and the call to end illegal mining which is popularly called “ malmsey “.
The Movement Coordinator for Africans Rising, a Pan African pressure organisation, Hardi Yakubu, discounted the claims by the Police when he said those who were arrested and arranged before Court were indeed denied food and water as well not allowing their families to have access until they were brought to Court.
He recounted how some of the arrested were allowed to stand on their feet for 24 hours without being allowed to take a rest .
He said these forms of brutal crackdown has failed to mute and democratic struggle and called on the Police to be assured of their defending of principles of justice, democracy and freedom.
