Shambolic court fine angers Obuasi anti-galamsey communities

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Alabila Atia with severed armed
Alabila Atia with severed armed

by: Jack Adom

Alabila Atia with severed armed
Alabila Atia with severed armed

The 20 – year renegade illegal miner, who nearly killed 10 AngloGold Ashanti security staff with powerful explosives last March has been ?generously? offered GHC300 fine to walk free to wherever he wants to go, though he is a known criminal.

This has angered the people in the Obuasi vowing to appeal at higher court to overturn the verdict. They are angry that such a dangerous ?criminal?, instead of putting him to where he belongs(prison) is been given another opportunity to pursue illegal mining, which is anathema to the safety of the people and safety of AngloGold Ashanti employees and dependents.. They have dumped the judgment as travesty of justice, which should be investigated for retrial.

Alabila Atia, a young man from Bolga but resident of Tutuka, a galamsey – infested suburb of Obuasi, was arrested by a combined team from the Obuasi police and AngloGold Ashanti security on 20 March when he nearly killed ten underground patrolling team with high – powered explosives. With his dubious honour as ?explosive thrower?, Alabila is who is also known as Tutuka Killer, diabolic attempt diabolic attempt to finish off the security team ended blowing his arm.

?Alabila saw us as a major source of interference in his nefarious activities underground, so he tried to finish us off with explosives but he ended up blowing his right arm?, a member of the security team who faced near death on that day said. ?I thank God that for his intervention?. AngloGold Ashanti has to appeal against the shambolic judgment at all costs to deter other illegal miners and criminals from operating on the mine concession, he said.

A second security staff who was involved in the arrest of Alabila derided the judgment, saying ?AngloGold Ashanti should give us the power to engage illegal miners in ?boot to boot? banter; and galamsey will be a thing of the past?.

But the people in the communities are not happy with what they described as ?paltry fine? given to the ace illegal miner by the Obuasi court. The fear is that the dreaded illegal miner will once again regroup his ?explosive – throwing gang? in future to terrorize AngloGold Ashanti employees and the people in the communities.

Opayin Kwesi Afrane, a retired civil servant said according to the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (ACT 29) ,? this is a first degree felony and Alabila can?t get away with such ridiculous sentence. AngloGold Ashanti could appeal the sentence which I would strongly recommend. The actual challenge is AGA exposure and vulnerability to the risk of further explosive attacks and unfortunately the police do not appreciate the gravity and implications of the concerns and worries AngloGold Ashanti have.

It would therefore be appropriate to escalate this matter to the judicial and national security authorities for a review and in particular pursuing the ?criminals? behind the illegal acquisition and usage of explosives. But then it will come back to us to act by seeking an appeal to demand a harsher punishment for the suspect ? if nothing at all a custodial sentence would be a good deterrent than the fine..

In a similar development, a Kumasi Magistrate court has sentenced 9 illegal miners believed to be violently operating illegally on the Obuasi concession to a total of 45 years last March.

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