A staff of the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry has been arrested for extorting monies from illegal miners and other mining-related activities in excess of ¢200,000.

The suspect, Gabriel Sarpong, is said to have collected the monies in the name of the Deputy Minister, George Mireku Duker, who instructed his arrest.

A statement from the Ministry said a tip-off by an accomplice led to the arrest of Gabriel Sarpong on Tuesday, September 13, 2022.

Mr Sarpong agreed to all counts of fraudulent activities levelled against him.

The Deputy Minister has asked the security apparatus to handle the matter diligently to ensure that the law deals with Mr Sarpong severely.

He is also hopeful that the prosecution of Mr Sarpong will serve as a deterrent to others in the same trade of activities.

Gabriel Sarpong is currently in the custody of the Ministries Police Station in Accra.