Mob Attacks Anti-Galamsey Task Force in Bonteso, Two Officers Injured

A clash between illegal miners and security forces at Bonteso in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region on Tuesday, August 13, 2025, left two police officers injured and led to four arrests, including a local assemblyman.

The violence erupted when the Special Anti-Galamsey Task Force intercepted an excavator being used for illegal mining. While officers attempted to load the machine onto a truck, a group of miners, allegedly incited by Assembly Member Patrick Asare, confronted them.

According to police, the miners hurled stones, threatened violence, and fired pump-action shotguns to deter the task force. ASP Bawah Abdul Jalil and G/Sgt. Agblekpe Mawuena Yao suffered head, mouth, and leg injuries in the confrontation.

The miners also blocked exit routes, forcing the officers to respond with “appropriate force” to secure their escape. Four suspects Akwasi Amponsah, Osei Vasco, Patrick Asare, and Alexander Owusu were arrested, and one excavator was seized. A second machine was abandoned due to the escalating threat.

The suspects remain in custody and will be transferred to Accra for further investigations and prosecution.