<<Print>>

The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Abirem, Raymond Nana Damtey has accused the police of firing AK-47 rifles at unarmed aggrieved farmers in New Abirem during a peaceful demonstration against Newmont Ghana Limited, Tuesday, 16 October.

Speaking on NEAT FM’s morning show ‘Ghana Montie’, Mr Damtey said he collected some of the bullets fired at the farmers at the scene to buttress his claims if challenged.

“I have the bullets right here with me,” he told host Mac-Jerry Osei Agyeman.

The Tuesday clash between the demonstrating farmers and the police resulted in five farmers getting injured and hospitalized.

The protest was over claims that Newmont had taken over their farmlands without compensating them [Farmers].

The police fired teargas to disperse the crowd who were chanting ‘war’ songs to express their grievances.

But Raymond Nana Damtey noted that the police approach was “wrong” and “unprofessional”

“Never again should this happen to our people, this is unfortunate. It is very sad that the people suffered this way and I must say the police failed. They fired AK-47 at peaceful demonstrators; I even have some of the bullets they fired, on my table.”