#StopGalamsey Protesters Face Court

Protesters arrested during the #StopGalamsey demonstration over the weekend have appeared in an Accra court today, facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime, specifically unlawful assembly. The arrests occurred during a three-day protest at the 37 Roundabout, where demonstrators voiced concerns about illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) and economic mismanagement.

Lawyer and social media influencer Ama Governor was among those arrested and was heard shouting “emancipate yourselves from mental slavery” as she was escorted to the courtroom. Ten of the accused persons have been remanded into police custody, with their case adjourned to October 8, 2024. Another nine accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, lawyers representing the protesters are still struggling to locate all 46 arrested individuals, citing a lack of information from the police. According to Prince Ganaku, a member of the Protest Defense, the police appear to be scheming to detain the protesters for an extended period.

The protests turned violent on Sunday, September 22, with a scuffle breaking out between Democracy Hub protesters and the Ghana Police Service during the second day of the protest.

Source: Emmanuel Oduro || 25th September, 2024