Galamsey: We were beaten by armed men who deleted our videos – Erastus Asare Donkor

Multimedia Group Limited’s award-winning environmental journalist and investigator, Erastus Asare Donkor, has recounted the harrowing experience he and his team encountered while covering illegal mining activities in the Asumenya Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.

On Sunday, October 20, 2024, they investigated the disturbing increase in illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, and its harmful impact on local streams flowing into the Ankobra River.

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

Unfortunately, their mission took a dangerous turn when they were ambushed by armed attackers.

The attackers forcibly abducted the journalists and took them to a remote location, where they experienced physical violence.

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

The attack not only endangered the lives of journalists, but also removed valuable evidence of the illegal mining activities they sought to expose.

After surviving the attack, Donkor and his team were abandoned at the scene, traumatized but grateful to be alive.

In an interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile program on Saturday, October 26, Donkor shared his fears during the attack, revealing the intense anxiety and helplessness he experienced when faced with armed men.

“We were beaten mercilessly by these armed men. They claimed that we had illegally invaded their workplace and that we were afraid for our lives. They ordered my gadgets and deleted all the files we had on them,” he said.

His experiences highlight the inherent dangers journalists face, especially when reporting on sensitive issues such as illegal mining, which threatens both the environment and local communities.

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