The Upper Denkyira East Municipal Chief Executive, Peter Kofi Owusu Ashia has denied reports on Friday that, he was arrested over his alleged involvement in illegal mining activities. Even though Alhaji Inussah Fuseini, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and the chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce instituted to clamp down illegal mining activities in the country confirmed his arrest, Mr. Ashia insists the stories were concocted. He suspects the story may have been fabricated after he refused to grant the requests of some persons who had approached him to facilitate the release of their colleagues arrested by the taskforce. “I was only picked by soldiers from my office; about eight of them that I should come to Accra.” He claimed he “intercepted” a poly bag stashed GHS 20,000 meant to bride an unnamed immigrations officer who is a member of the taskforce and gave an order that, “this money will not leave this office.” According to Mr. Ashia, he reported the officer involved to the operations command and thought the security should have investigated that instead. The MCE is therefore calling for investigations over the bribery and extortion allegations leveled against him.