Famous Axim galamsey leader Kwame Ato Asare Ani, who was arrested after a video of him and some illegal miners molesting a police officer at a galamsey site went viral, has once again made headlines after allegedly assaulting his uncle.
Charles Egyir, the Western Regional Correspondent for UTV, reported that Kwame Ato Asare, who had been released on bail less than two weeks prior, confronted his family chief for the damaging information he provided during his arrest.
According to the reporter, the patriarch of the family, who also happens to be his uncle, testified against Kwame Ato Asare during his initial arrest, branding him a criminal and accusing him of causing neighborhood disturbances. In addition, it is alleged that the aforementioned family chief accused Kwame Ato Asare of involvement in multiple rape cases.
"At the time of the incident, we were all aware that Kwame Ato Asare was a wanted man, and the police were seeking for him. According to reports, he retreated to Ivory Coast before returning and being arrested. During his two months in police custody, Kwame Ato Asare made multiple court appearances. His attorney, Fiifi Buckman, requested bail, which was granted by the court; next Thursday will commemorate exactly two weeks since he was released on bail.
"If we recollect, when he was first arrested, journalists conducted interviews in one of the neighboring towns, if memory serves. The family patriarch (Abusuapanyin) testified that Kwame Ato Asare was a neighborhood troublemaker and a criminal. The man also accused Kwame Ato Asare of multiple assaults and provided a wealth of information about him.
Kwame was dissatisfied with what the man said, so when he was released on bail, he accosted him and severely beat him, causing the man to sustain injuries.
The UTV reporter added that community members intervened quickly, transporting the injured family head to the hospital and promptly reporting the incident to the Axim Divisional Command, which resulted in his re-arrest. He is currently being held at the Sekondi Headquarters, where police are conducting further investigations.
"Community members took Kwame Ato Asare to the hospital and reported the incident to the Axim Divisional Command, resulting in his re-arrest. Kwame Ato Asare has been transported to the Sekondi Headquarters, where the police are continuing their investigation.
"Therefore, the issue is that upon Kwame Ato Asare's release from police detention, he went and assaulted the family patriarch who testified against him, resulting in his re-arrest. He was accompanied by a young man named Idrrisu who is well-known in Axim. Both have been detained for assaulting the victim," he added.
Recall that Kwame Ato Asare Ani, age 21, was arrested alongside two other suspects, ages 17 and 17, namely Williams Kwofie and Emmanuel Kojo Bronie.
The three perpetrators were apprehended in Boinso, a Western North Region community close to Enchi.
Kwame Ato Asare Ani was proclaimed wanted after a video of him and other illegal miners molesting a police officer at a galamsey site went viral, prompting the officer to grovel and apologize. The police issued a warrant for his arrest after he fled into hiding.
On Friday morning, April 21, 2023, a member of the Boinso community identified the suspects at a local drinking spot and immediately alerted the police, who went to the location to apprehend them.