Special Prosecutor investigates Akonta Mining, Charles Bissue, others

Akonta Mining Limited and a former Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Cromwell Nanabanyin Onuawonto Bissue, have been cited for investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in suspected corruption and corruption-related offences connected to illegal mining (galamsey).

Also being investigated by the OSP are some officials of the Lands Commission, Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, some mining entities, individuals and political party officials.

However, their names were not disclosed immediately.

Persons of interest to the OSP's investigations include Mr Bissue, who is also a former presidential staffer.

A statement signed by the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, and issued in Accra yesterday said Mr Bissue was already being investigated on allegations that he used his office for private gain.

“The investigation includes the active and ongoing enquiry into allegations of use of public office for profit against Charles Bissue during his tenure as Secretary to the IMCIM, arising from an investigative documentary titled ‘Galamsey Fraud Part I' published by Tiger Eye P.I.,” the statement said.

Already, Mr Bissue has rebutted the Tiger Eye allegation.

“As I have said countless times, that money was not a bribe and I did not make any demands whatsoever from any operative or beneficiary of illegal mining while I served on the IMCIM,” he said in a recent statement.

Other officials

The OSP said its investigations would also cover some officials of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Forestry Commission and the IMCIM, “especially in respect of the seizure and management of excavators, machinery, road vehicles and gold nuggets”.

Others being targeted in the investigations are municipal and district chief executives (MDCEs).

“The investigation further targets the activities of Akonta Mining Limited and other companies, nationals of foreign countries allegedly involved in illegal mining and allegations of corruption and corruption-related offences against some municipal and district chief executives and political party officials,” the statement added.

Allegation

In a documentary produced by the private investigator, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and his Tiger Eye team, Mr Bissue was seen allegedly taking money to help an unlicensed company to circumvent laid down processes to be given clearance for its mining operations.

The documentary alleged that the secretary was involved in alleged shady deals to facilitate processes for ORR Resource Enterprise.

The undercover investigator allegedly captured people tasked with fighting the galamsey menace receiving various sums of money, ostensibly to facilitate the acquisition of mining licences.

Exoneration

The CID concluded that the documentary which was aired was not a true reflection of what transpired between Bissue and one Yaw Ben of ORR Resource Enterprise.

Tiger P.I. petitioned the OSP, then headed by Martin Amidu, to investigate suspected corruption and corruption-related offences against Mr Bissue.

Last week, Mr Bissue again came out to deny the allegations raised by Tiger Eye when the Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, made reference to it at a press conference organised by the party in Accra.

In a statement released on October 7, Mr Bissue said: “My attention has been drawn to the scathing attack on my person by the National Communications Officer of the opposition NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, in his press conference that responded to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's renewed assurance in the fight against illegal mining.

“In that press conference aired on various media platforms on Thursday, October 6, 2022, Mr Gyamfi maligned and traduced me by referencing a rather doctored and propaganda-induced documentary authored by Tiger Eye P.I.'s Anas.

“As I have said countless times, that money was not a bribe, and I did not make any demands whatsoever from any operative or beneficiary of illegal mining while I served on the IMCIM.

“The money in question was a donation from the NPP Chairman in the Ashanti Region, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, alias Chairman Wontumi, to the then NPP Western Regional Organiser, Abdul Ganiyu, for a party event organised in the Western Region.”

“For the malice and character assassination that Anas and his sponsors had in mind, the public was denied the audio recordings and full disclosure of the purpose of that money handed to me. It was uncovered that a former employee of the IMCIM, Francis Owusu Akyaw, whom I fired for unsatisfactory conduct, sponsored the video recording of the documentary,” Mr Bissue's statement added.

Akonta Mining

On September 30, 2022, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources directed the Forestry Commission to, with immediate effect, stop Akonta Mining Company from operating in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.

“Records available to the ministry show that while Akonta Mining Ltd has a mining lease to undertake mining operations in some parts of Samreboi, outside the forest reserve, the company has no mineral right to undertake any mining operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve,” it said.