Suspect Emmanuel Appiah carrying the water pumping machine
TWO ALLEGED teenage illegal miners have died in the River Offin at Apenkuro in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region after they attempted to escape arrest from a team of forestry personnel of the Nkawie Forest Services Division.
The deceased persons namely Derrick Atta, 18, and Kwabena Anane, 17, were reportedly engaged in illegal mining in the Offin Shelter Belt Forest Reserve on Monday, 30th January, 2023.
Three survivors, however, managed to escape while another person whose name was given as Emmanuel Appiah was arrested.
Briefing DAILY GUIDE, Chrisantus Nifasoyir, Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal Manager of Forestry Service Division of the Forestry Commission, said his outfit had a distress call that some illegal miners had entered into Compartment 42 of the reserve and were doing a “dig and wash” form of illegal mining.
A team of forestry security guards was detailed to follow up and upon reaching the scene, the illegal miners abandoned their equipment and fled into the River Offin.
Unfortunately, the deceased could not swim to safety thereby culminating in their premature death.
Their lifeless bodies were later retrieved from the river and deposited at the Nyinahin Mortuary for preservation.
Meanwhile, suspect Emmanuel Appiah has since been handed over to the Nkawie Divisional Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.
Items retrieved from the site were one water pumping machine, two pick axes, three shovels and one mobile phone.
FROM David Afum, Kumasi