Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the assault on some Luv FM journalists during a report on the illegal mining issue at Asumenya near Manso Nkran.

The three staff members, including Erastus Asare Donkor, were attacked by armed men claiming to work for Edelmetallum Resources Limited in the Ashanti Region.

Over ten heavily armed men forcibly abducted the team, took them to an undisclosed location, subjected them to brutal beatings, and later abandoned them.

The journalists had been filming the destruction caused by illegal mining when the attack occurred.

Speaking to Joy FM’s Newsnite, News Editor at Luv FM, Kofi Adu Domfeh, confirmed that the police have arrested three individuals in connection with the incident.

• Read also: Galamsey: Arrest suspects who attacked JoyNews crew at Manso Nkran – Ashigbey to IGP

“Before they took us to the site, the police made us aware that three people had been arrested and two of them were actually identified as part of those who assaulted our crew.”

A series of disturbing developments occurred when the Bekwai police accompanied the journalists back to the area for identification.

According to Mr Domfeh, upon arriving at the site, no one was present.

However, the Police Commander leading the team informed the media crew that their security vehicles could not proceed beyond that site.

"What is interesting is that it became apparent that the Manso district police commander who led the officers would not want to travel further from where the incident actually happened, and he was giving some excuses that their new pickup vehicles could not travel that far."

The police also cautioned the journalists against filming or taking pictures of the devastated land in the area.

"He also gave very specific instructions that we couldn't take any pictures of the degraded site where we visited today," he added.

The team had been filming the destruction caused by illegal mining when the attack occurred.

Recently restored portions of the Asenanyo Forest Reserve have seen another wave of destruction, with streams feeding into the Ankobra River also being polluted.