Prosecute assailants of Erastus Asare Donkor – GJA
23rd October 2024
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called for the swift prosecution of those responsible for the brutal assault of Erastus Asare Donkor, an award-winning journalist with the Multimedia Group, and his colleagues, while they were on assignment.
The GJA condemned the attack in a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, urging the police to expedite the arrest and prosecution of all individuals involved in the incident.
In addition to demanding justice for the journalists, the GJA has also called for the immediate suspension of Edelmetallum Mining Resources Limited's operating license.
The Association expressed deep concern over the environmental damage caused by the mining company and has urged both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission (MC) to take immediate action to investigate the company’s operations.
Background of the assault
The incident occurred last Sunday in Asumenya, a community located in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region, where the Multimedia Group crew was investigating the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining activities.
The team, led by Erastus Asare Donkor, was covering the devastation of farmlands and water bodies in the area.
Their reporting focused on the adverse effects of the mining operations of Edelmetallum Mining Resources Limited, a company linked to Adelaide Tettey as a shareholder, according to the GJA.
While filming, the journalists were accosted by armed thugs allegedly protecting the mining site. The assailants, brandishing pump-action guns, forcibly seized the crew and their equipment.
The armed men then transported the journalists to a remote forest, where they subjected them to a brutal assault. Erastus Asare Donkor and his team suffered severe injuries, including swollen eyes and ear trauma, before being abandoned in the secluded area.
The Multimedia crew managed to report the incident to the Manso Edubia Police Station, where they were provided with medical forms and later sought treatment at Agroyesum Hospital.
The journalists reported that their attackers claimed to be acting on orders from the owner of Edelmetallum Mining Resources Limited.
Police response and ongoing investigations
Following the report filed by the victims, the police have arrested three suspects linked to the attack.
The GJA has applauded the swift response from law enforcement and praised the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) for his interest in the case.
However, the Association stressed that the investigation must not stop with these arrests, urging the police to apprehend and prosecute all the individuals involved in the attack.