Galamsey Protests: Barker-Vormawor pleads not guilty to multiple charges

Accra, Ghana - A court in Ghana has heard the plea of Oliver Barker-Vormawor, convener of the Democracy Hub, who faces multiple charges stemming from his involvement in protests against illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.

Barker-Vormawor pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit unlawful assembly, unlawful damage, offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace, assault on a public officer, defacement of public property, and theft.

His plea was entered on September 26, after he was absent from court the previous day due to ill health. The charges relate to his role in organizing a three-day protest from September 21-23, which aimed to pressure the government to address the environmental and social impacts of galamsey.

Forty-five other protesters were also arrested and have been remanded in police and prison custody for 14 days, pending a bail decision. Lawyers representing the group allege that those in custody have been mistreated and denied access to legal services.

The protests highlighted the ongoing struggle against galamsey, which has devastated large areas of Ghana's countryside and polluted water sources. The Democracy Hub's activism has sparked renewed debate about the government's response to the crisis.

Barker-Vormawor's case has drawn attention to the tensions between civil society and the authorities in Ghana, with concerns raised about the limits on peaceful protest and the treatment of activists.

Source: Lead News Online