How the CID dragged Suhum Akyempimhene to court for engaging in galamsey

Following his alleged involvement in illegal mining (galamsey), the Akyempimhene of Suhum, Barima Amoako Darko, the Akyempimhene, was hauled before the court by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service in 2022.

Nana Ohene Fianko, as he is known in private life, was dragged along with a Chinese national, one Yang Maoji, who was the main suspect in the said galamsey case.

Ohene Fianko and Maoji were both detained in 2021 after investigations found that they were engaging in illegal mining at Subin Akwabosu in the Central Region, according to a CID report seen by Ghanaguardian.com.

According to the report submitted in August 2022 and signed by C/Supt. Ebenezer Nketia of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of the Ghana Police Service, on May 21, 2021, they received a referral letter from the Commanding Officer of the Military Police Headquarters through the Director General, CID, to investigate Yang Maoji, whom they had arrested at a small-scale mining site in Akwabosu.

The report said a number of inquiries were made up until June 1, 2021, following the completion of phase II of their operation, named "operation halt II," which resulted in the arrest of Mr. Fianko (now Akyempimhene of Suhum), in order to aid in inquiries.

The report revealed that on May 25, 2021, when the police were conducting their operations at the mining site, they reportedly discovered a security guard named Hakeem Wagah, who exposed Nana Fianko to be the owner of the concession, resulting in his arrest.

According to the report, Nana Fianko said in his statement after his arrest, that he is the CEO of Excess Investment Ventures Limited, which holds several mining concessions in Subin Akwabosu in Ghana's Central Region, and that the Minerals Commission had awarded him five (5) mining licenses.

It said Nana Fianko though gave the police the documentation of all of his concessions to back up his assertions, he denied ever knowing or working with a Chinese national by name Yang Maoji.

C/Supt. Nketia added in the report that in getting to the finality of the issue, police extended investigations to agencies including the Ghana Immigration Service, the Registrar General's Department and the Minerals Commission, however it came out that the total area which was alleged to be mined out by the suspect Yang Maoji, fell within the Prospecting License for Adansi Gold Company Ghana Limited.

Also it stated that, "as per the records at the Minerals Commission, the fieldwork and composite maps it was found that the areas alleged to be mined out do not fall within any of the three (3) licences granted to Excess Investment Ventures Ltd."

It said that on August, 31, 2021, a duplicate case docket was prepared and forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Department for study and advice as the suspects Yang Maoji and Ohene Fianko were arraigned before court.

Click here to Download the full report of circumstances leading to the arrest of the now Akyempimhene of Suhum, Barima Amoako Darko, for engaging in galamsey.

In a related development, it has come to light that Barima Amoako Darko impersonated Gilbert Asa-Boafo, a former student of the Suhum Presbyterian Secondary School, when he applied to join the Ghana Police Service in 2001.

In a document that this portal intercepted, the Police administration said that Ohene Fianko Samule's attempts to use a certificate with the name of someone else constituted "an act which is harmful to the effective operation of the Service" and dismissed him from the service as a result.

DSP/Mr. N.Y. Aggrey at the time signed a document attesting to his dismissal in 2006, about five years after joining the police force.

Check out the documents below: