The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) welcomes the ruling by the Asankragwa Magistrate Court in Ghana’s Western Region, ordering compensation for journalists whose equipment was destroyed by illegal miners.
On February 12, journalists Akwasi Agyei Annim (Citi FM/TV’s Western Regional Correspondent), Nana Fynn (Angel FM/TV), and Jacob Adu-Baah (Rok FM) visited the Breman-Adomanya forest in the Wassa Amenfi West District to document the environmental damage caused by illegal mining.
As they began filming, a security guard at the site raised an alarm, prompting a swift and violent response from the miners, who assaulted the journalists and destroyed their equipment.
On March 5, 2025—three weeks after the attack—the Asankragwa Magistrate Court ruled that Daniel Baidoo, the prime suspect and leader of the illegal miners, must pay GH¢37,000 ($2,386) in compensation for the damaged equipment. The amount has been lodged with the Asankragwa Police, who have been directed to release the funds to the affected journalists. Meanwhile, the court has issued a bench warrant for four additional suspects who remain at large.
The MFWA commends the swift response from the judicial authorities, a significant step toward holding perpetrators of illegal mining-related violence accountable. This ruling provides some relief to the affected journalists and reinforces the protection of media professionals who risk their lives to expose environmental destruction.
We urge authorities to intensify efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects and ensure they face justice.