The Ghana Police Service has dismissed any suggestion of interference in the prosecution of four individuals arrested for illegal mining activities within the Krobo Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region, insisting that the suspects will face the law despite alleged attempts to secure their release.
The suspects were arrested on Monday, May 11, 2026, during a joint anti-illegal mining operation conducted by police personnel in collaboration with Logeist Group Company Limited in the protected forest area.
According to the police, the suspects were caught actively engaged in mining operations deep within the forest reserve and dangerously close to the Oda River, raising serious environmental and ecological concerns.
Authorities say the operation led to the seizure of two excavators, while additional equipment used in the illegal activity was destroyed at the site as part of the enforcement exercise.
Officials involved in the operation disclosed that a total of four excavators were discovered working illegally within the reserve. They also alleged that the Jacobu-Odotobri NDC Chairman in the Amansie Central District later arrived at the scene in the vehicle of one of the suspects and claimed he had granted permission for them to enter the forest.
Security personnel further alleged that the chairman appealed for the release of the suspects, insisting they were his associates. However, the police command maintained that such interventions would not influence the course of justice.
The suspects, according to the command, remain in custody and will be processed for prosecution in line with the country’s laws on illegal mining activities.
Speaking after the operation, Seth Kofi Adjei, Operations Manager of Logeist Group Company Limited, reaffirmed the company’s support for ongoing anti-galamsey operations, stressing the importance of protecting Ghana’s forest reserves and water bodies from destruction.
The latest operation forms part of intensified efforts by security agencies and partner institutions to clamp down on illegal mining activities, which continue to pose significant environmental threats across mining communities in the country.