Church Elder Busted Over Alleged Galamsey Operation at Asante Akyem Morso
NAIMOS has arrested an elder of the The Church of Pentecost, David Bobie Peter, over alleged involvement in illegal mining at Akyem Morso in the Ashanti Region
- NAIMOS has arrested an elder of the The Church of Pentecost, David Bobie Peter, over alleged illegal mining activities at Akyem Morso.
- The task force destroyed and seized several galamsey equipment during an operation along the Kume River
- The suspect is in police custody and facing further investigation and possible prosecution
An elder of the The Church of Pentecost, identified as David Bobie Peter, has been arrested by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) over alleged involvement in illegal mining activities at Akyem Morso near Juaso in the Ashanti Region.
The arrest formed part of a targeted anti-galamsey operation along the Kume River corridor, covering Morso, Kyekyebiase and Bimma in the Asante Akim South District.
According to NAIMOS, the task force initially raided a large illegal mining site at Kyekyebiase, where several young men were actively working. However, the operators reportedly fled into nearby bush paths upon spotting the team, abandoning their equipment.
Although no arrests were made at that stage, officers dismantled the site, destroying eight chanfang machines, four wooden gold-washing platforms, and several hose pipes, while also seizing 12 water pumping machines.
A further sweep led to the discovery of a concealed excavator hidden in a cocoa farm, which was rendered completely inoperable after key components were removed.
NAIMOS later arrested David Bobie Peter after he approached the team claiming he was visiting his farm. However, intelligence gathered by the task force suggested he was actually a foreman overseeing operations at one of the illegal mining sites.
He allegedly admitted during questioning that he supervised mining activities in Morso and had been sent to check on reports of security operations in the area. He later led officers to the site.
At Morso, officers found severe environmental damage, with parts of the Kume River polluted and diverted to support mining operations. Another excavator was also discovered and disabled.
NAIMOS described the suspect’s alleged involvement—coupled with his position as a church elder—as deeply concerning. He has since been handed over to the Konongo District Police for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The Secretariat has warned that its anti-illegal mining operations will continue without fear or favour, stressing that status or affiliation will not shield offenders.
“The fight against illegal mining demands a unified, unwavering and uncompromising response,” NAIMOS stated, urging stronger community and institutional support to protect the environment.
