Two illegal diamond miners (galamsey operators) including a woman were killed while a third person is on admission at the Akwatia St Dominic's Hospital in critical condition when a pit they were digging for diamonds caved in at Camp Number Four near Akwatia in the Eastern Region last Friday.

The deceased, whose bodies have been deposited at the same hospital for an autopsy, have been identified as Charity Adoglo, 33, and Michael Zugah, 38.

The one on admission at the hospital is 32-year-old Moses Agbisah.
A survivor of the accident, Kwame Awudu, who escaped death narrowly, has gone into hiding to avoid giving evidence to the police, who are investigating the matter.

Briefing the Daily Graphic at Akwatia on Sunday, the Akwatia District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Desmond Owusu Boampong, said around 9.30 a.m. on October 26, this year, the four victims went to prospect for diamonds.

He stated that as the recent continuous rainfall in the area had made the soil very soft, the pit caved in burying the four persons.

According to DSP Boampong, Awudu, who was ascending the pit before the incident, managed to escape unhurt and screamed to attract the attention of the other illegal miners nearby.

He said as soon as the people came to rescue those under the pit, Awudu fled the area to an unknown place.

The District Police Commander stated that the rescuers managed to retrieve the bodies of the three people from the wreckage, but unfortunately Charity was dead.

He said Zugah and Agbisah were rushed to hospital for treatment but the doctor on duty pronounced the former dead on arrival while the latter, who had fractured legs, was admitted for treatment.


Source: Daily Graphic