An award-winning environmental and investigative journalist with the Multimedia Group Limited, Erastus Asare Donkor, has recounted a harrowing experience he and his team faced while covering illegal mining activities in the Asumenya Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.

On Sunday, October 20, 2024, they were investigating the alarming resurgence of illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, and its detrimental effects on local streams feeding into the Ankobra River.

The region, once celebrated for its ecological restoration, has been marred by the activities of illegal miners, prompting Mr Donkor and his team to document the environmental damage.

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Tragically, their mission took a dangerous turn when they were ambushed by armed assailants.

The attackers forcibly abducted the journalists and transported them to a remote location, where they were subjected to physical abuse.

During this time, the attackers confiscated several essential items, including a tablet computer, drone batteries, and removable storage devices (SD cards) containing critical footage and data collected during their investigation.

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The assault not only put the lives of the journalists at risk but also erased valuable evidence of the illegal mining operations they aimed to expose.

After enduring the assault, Mr Donkor and his team were abandoned at the scene, left traumatized but grateful to be alive.

In an interview on JoyNews' Newsfile programme on Saturday, October 26, Mr Donkor shared his fears during the attack, revealing the intense anxiety and helplessness he experienced as they faced the armed men.

"We were beaten mercilessly by these armed men. They claimed that we have encroached on their workplace illegally and we feared for our lives. They ordered for my gadgets and deleted all the files we had on them," he stated.

His ordeal highlights the inherent dangers journalists face, especially when reporting on sensitive issues like illegal mining, which threatens both the environment and local communities.