Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, appears to be in trouble for blowing the cover on persons allegedly involved in illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey).

According to him, the arrest of Prof Frimpong Boateng by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on corruption related offences captured in report on the galamsey remains murky.

“From this intercepted document, it seems it is rather the whistleblower, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng who appears to be in trouble as the OSP investigates his IMCIM for corruption and corruption related offences. It’s not clear what has happened to the fat cats the Prof indicted in his explosive galamsey report. A really interesting country.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

Also reacting to the arrest, Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr Clemnt Apaak, expressed his reservation about Prof Frimpong’s arrest. He indicated that there is the need for the former envrionment minister to be extra caution going forward.

“This move is a plot to cow or intimidate Prof. Boateng for exposing the involvement of NPP officials, government officials, including some in the Presidency, in illegal mining/galamsey, it has failed on arrival. Prof. must take his personal security into his own hands though!”
Dr Clement Apaak

It will be recalled that the renowned heart surgeon was put under investigation following an invitation given to him by the Office of the Special Prosecutor weeks ago. He was invited on corruption and corruption-related activities, particularly over his report on the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).

Furthermore, he was arrested for alleged involvement in the missing of some 500 excavators and the involvement of Symphony Limited, the company owned by his son, in illegal mining. However, he was immediately granted bail of GH¢2 million.

Prof Frimpong ready for lawsuit

Meanwhile, the former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has disclosed that he is ready to deal with all the lawsuits that have been filed against him following the report on illegal small-scale mining that he authored as chair of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).

Owing to the reason that some of the persons captured in the report have sued him for defamation, which includes former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute, Gabby Otchere-Darko, the head of the Presidential Security detail, Captain (rtd) Edmund Kwadwo Koda and one John Ofori-Atta, Prof Frimpong-Boateng has expressed his readiness to fight through the process.

Commenting on whether he has seen all the suits, especially that of Captain (rtd) Koda, he stated that he has seen it and “my lawyers are dealing with it”.

“… I was served… He says I have defamed him, same as Gabby Otchere-Darko and there is a third one John Ofori-Atta the former National Security Coordinator for Central Region, he was also captured in the report, I am ready for them. I don’t deny the report, I wrote the report but I have not published any report, the report was meant for the presidency and not for public consumption.”
Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng

Following this, he noted that he feels targeted following his arrest by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). He explained that he found the arrest “strange”, especially given the circumstances prior to its effect.

“We waited at the lobby down there [and] that was my first time in that building. We got there around 10 o’clock, waiting for my lawyer. When he came, we were taken upstairs to the 7th Floor or so, where the office is and then we were ushered into a room. I was given a chair and opposite me was the Chief Investigator. Next to me on my right were my two lawyers and then some officers from that Office. So, as soon as I sat down, the Chief Investigator came to me. I was sitting down [then] he put his left hand on my right shoulder and said, ‘Professor, you are under arrest’.”
Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng