IIlegal miners on manhunt for police informant

There have been intense efforts by a gang of some illegal miners, known as galamsey operators, to exterminate a suspected police informant who is believed to have played a role in exposing their activities in the Western Region.
Jehoshaphat Ebo Asante, the supposed police informant, is reported to be the source of police intel on the whereabouts of Kwame Ato Asare Ani and four others after they were captured in a viral video harassing policemen and attempting to seize their weapons.
The video depicted one of the policemen being forced onto his knees, while his firearm was being taken away by the irate group led by Kwame Ato Asare Ani.
According to reports, the alleged informant had met the gang to negotiate on providing them some logistical supports in mining for the gang to sell their mined gold ore to him but it turned out that the police swooped on them minutes after he had left their premise.
Confirming the incident, the Police Service stated that it occurred on March 9, during which the Axim Divisional Police patrol team was attacked by a gang who seized a service rifle and several mobile phones.
In response, an intelligence operation was launched, leading to the arrest of four gang members on March 28. The individuals arrested within 24 hours of the incidence were identified as Kojo Siah (also known as Mozey), Emmanuel Mensah (alias Kofi Asamoah), Maxwell Cudjoe, and Agyabu Haruna Dissawu. However, the prime suspect, Kwame Ato Asare Ani, was declared wanted by the police and a reward of GHS10,000 was announced to the public for information leading to his arrest. Three pump-action shotguns were recovered during a search conducted at Ani’s residence.
During his days on the run, Ani had publicly granted radio interviews from his hideout, even as a bounty was placed on his head.
In a phone interview with UTV, a television station based in Accra, Ani shared his perspective on the altercation in the forest between his gang and the police officers.
He claimed that he used to collect money from the galamsey operators in the area on behalf of the police in exchange for protection from criminals.
The suspected gang leader explained that his dispute with the police officers began when he decided to withhold payment from them after receiving GHC100,000 from some illegal miners.
According to him, this decision was made because his crew felt cheated in a previous deal where the policemen only provided them with a meager sum of GHC2, 000 from a total amount of GHC30, 000.
Jehoshaphat Ebo Asante, who is also known as Ebo, is suspected to be the informant responsible for providing the police officers with information about Kwame Ato Asare Ani’s whereabouts in Enchi where he was arrested.
It is believed the suspected informant had provided the police with inner operational details of the group and that has led to the police arresting many of the gang members.
As a result of this suspicion, Mr Asante is now being targeted by the galamsey operators, who are seeking revenge for his role in exposing their activities.
Information reaching us indicates that the suspected police informant has had to flee from his known abode and has been putting up with friends in several locations to avoid his capture by the notorious gang operating in illegal mining in the Western Region