On Sunday, October 20, 2024, award-winning environmental and investigative Journalist Erastus Asare Donkor and his team set out to investigate the alarming resurgence of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, in the Asumenya Forest Reserve in Ghana's Ashanti Region.
This resurgence poses a significant threat not only to local ecosystems but also to communities relying on clean water from streams that feed into the Ankobra River.
As Donkor and his colleagues delved into the heart of these illegal mining operations, they were met with a terrifying encounter. "We were beaten mercilessly by these armed men," Donkor recounted, describing the ordeal that unfolded during their investigation.
The armed individuals, presumably linked to the illegal mining activities, accused the journalists of encroaching on their "workplace" and demanded that they hand over their equipment. "They ordered for my gadgets and deleted all the files we had on them," he added, highlighting the risk that journalists face while exposing such dangerous and unlawful practices.