Man shot dead as youth clash over mining concession at Manso Keniago
Thirty-four-year-old Elijah Timenkeh has been shot dead at Manso Keniago in the Ashanti region, following a clash between workers of a local mining firm and some irate youth, Thursday night.
Elijah Timenkeh was among the youth of the town who besieged the mining concession of Adubiaho Mining Company to prospect for gold.
A private security man guarding the mining firm is alleged to have shot sporadically into the group of illegal miners, killing Elijah in the process.
A Chinese national who sustained serious injuries in the clash is being treated at the St. Martin’s Catholic Hospital in nearby Agroyesum.
The Formed Police Unit deployed to maintain law and order rescued eight Chinese nationals as townsfolks attacked workers of the private mining firm.
The Police said the attack also saw the irate youth setting ablaze an excavator belonging to the mining firm.
A spokesperson for the Ashanti Regional Police command, ASP Godwin Ahianyo, told JoyNews, calm has been restored in the area.
“At about 7 pm, the Manso Adubia Police received a distressed call that somebody has been shot dead at Adubiaho Mining site. Police proceeded there to verify the report. When they got there, they saw somebody lying in a pool of blood. He was later identified as Elijah Timenkeh.
“According to those that were met at the mining site, some youth in the area besieged the Adubiaho mining site to prospect for gold, and then the security man on duty at the time started firing sporadically, and he accidentally shot and killed Elijah Timenkeh, which infuriated the youth. They also mobilized and attacked the workers, subjecting them to beatings.”
“Unfortunately, one Chinese national who was working at the site at the time was also seriously injured.
He was taken to St. Martin’s Hospital in Agroyesum for treatment. When the Police got there, he was in the theatre being attended to.
Other eight Chinese nationals were rescued and taken to the Police station,” he added.
Meanwhile, the security man who killed the deceased is on the run. “As we speak, efforts are underway to get the security man who fired the shots arrested,” ASP Godwin Ahianyo said.
According to ASP Ahianyo, the Police are on the alert to prevent reprisals.
Security has been beefed up in the area following the attack. “We have the FPU team who are with the Manso District command patrols. As of yesterday, they were there. They are monitoring situations there. So Police is there. We will ensure nothing untoward happens,“ said ASP Ahianyo.
