21 illegal miners who had invaded Felix hole (Cote D’or) underground operational area of AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) were arrested by a joint team of Military/Police detachment at AGA on 09/03/2023 at about 0600 hours.
The suspects were captured by surveillance drone whilst surfacing from underground. Items retrieved from them included small sacks containing gold bearing ore and detonating codes.
They were handed over to the Obuasi Municipal Police command and subsequently arraigned before the Obuasi Magistrate court presided over by Her Lordship Joyce Boahen. All the suspects were remanded into prison custody to reapear on 23/03/2023
It would be recalled them some illegal miners were arrested at Cote d’or on Friday, July 15, 2022 which raised eyebrows after they were laid in a mud prompting the Majority in Ghana’s Parliament to issue a statement calling for investigations
The Cote d’or mining site still remains in AngloGold Ashanti’s 30% concession after ceding off 70% to Government in 2016.
The company on several occasions warned illegal miners not to sneak into the site but all have fallen on deaf ears.