Imperative! The Multimedia Group’s Erastus Asare Donkor, the award-winning anti-Galamsey crusading journalist, should be smuggled out of Ghana without delay. Somebody or a group will want him eliminated. For both the active galamseyers and the faceless kingpins/high government officials, the latest expose by this gentleman is unforgivable.

It is this element of unforgiveness or revenge by the human spirit that has caused Anas Aremeyaw Anas to go about in a mask. It is the same reason why Manasseh Azure Awuni had to be secreted out of the country in 2019. Those who slew undercover Tiger Eye PI journalist, Ahmed Suale, were hirelings; there are hundreds of them around and available for the “good money” of their paymasters.

Even Jesus Christ had been smuggled out of Bethlehem to Egypt on the instructions of God when the boy’s life was in danger.

Don’t let us forget: Erastus’ enemies may want to take it out on his closest blood relations, namely his spouse and offspring.

Won’t this be an expensive undertaking? Yes, it will be, but it is infinitesimal compared to the sacrifices by this journalist to help save our water bodies and forests. Remember the reported deaths from cyanide. Remember the foetal malformations.

John Dramani Mahama should not need any prompting to charge this expenditure on the Consolidated Fund. Alternatively, we can fall on Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) to do it again, as it did in 2019 to save the life of Manasseh. Also, it would not be too much prevailing on the Osei Kwame Despites, the Tobincos, Cheddars, Daniel Oforis, etc, to keep Erastus and his family on their payroll for five years!

If galamseyers could mass up 600 killers in the community to attempt to eliminate armed soldiers, what chance does a journalist with a video camera have against them?

For total strangers who have not followed events in Ghana this week, here’s the news. A group of people attacked members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations (NAIMOS) task force at Bronikrom in the Ahafo Region, demanding the release of galamsey criminals.

Erastus’s report shared online said that on Saturday, November 1, while the Director of Operations of NAIMOS, accompanied by ten (10) soldiers, was going on a reconnaissance mission in the Ahafo Region, his attention was drawn to an excavator engaged in mining along the roadside near Bronikrom. The team diverted to the location and apprehended several individuals actively mining.

The Director ordered one of the arrested persons to call the site owner. Two individuals arrived, one who said he was the Regional Defence Intelligence (DI) representative, and another who claimed ownership of the site. A third man arrived later and was also arrested.

“While arrangements were being made to convey the suspects to the Hwidiem Police Station, the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Hon. Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, arrived at the scene with several thugs. The MP indicated that he was sent by Hon Collins Dauda, MP for the area and demanded that the Director release the arrested kingpins and remove their handcuffs”

When the Director refused, reports Erastus, “the MP and the thugs became violent and snatched the handcuff keys from one of the soldiers and took the handcuffs off the kingpins.

“At the police station, a crowd of about six hundred (600) people from Hwidiem and nearby communities surrounded the station. The mob demanded the immediate release of the arrested suspects and seized vehicles. They warned that they would ‘discipline’ the soldiers if their demands were ignored.

Violence erupted. The Director of Operations’ Toyota Hilux pickup was vandalised, and the mob threatened to burn down the police station.

“To prevent bloodshed and protect lives, a joint decision was made by the police, the military and the Zongo Chief to release the keys to the seized vehicles to calm the crowd. The Zongo Chief then offered his Toyota Sequoia 4x4 to evacuate Colonel Buah, the Director of Operations, and his officers to safety at the Newmont Site in Kenyase under police escort.”

End of Erastus’ story.

The question now is, what is the prosecution’s case?

I have no doubt that the respected Attorney-General and the IGP know their job. With the benefit of previous cases, I only beg to remind them that judges do not work with public “sentiments”. Does the State have any solid evidence, especially one in which the MP’s voice can be played back in court?

Already, with the benefit of previous instances, too many to count, Ghanaians are publicly expressing suspicion that “this case, too, will go nowhere”. Ghanaians are in no mood to be taken through charades. There is pent-up anger born of suspicion that “Mahama is behaving like all other Presidents – protecting party people”.

Can this country afford to see our soldiers bow to threats by criminals? What would be going through the minds of soldiers and policemen next time they are sent on operations? They will remember Major Mahama.

That is why Ghana must win against criminal gangs in communities.