A tragic incident has occurred at Sefwi Chiene, a farming community in the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipality of the Western North Region, where a 19-year-old man has reportedly drowned in an abandoned galamsey pit.
The deceased, identified as Herod Cobbina, is believed to have died while engaging in illegal mining activities with his colleagues.
According to reports, Herod had joined a group of young men to work at the galamsey site when he met his untimely death. His lifeless body was later retrieved from the pit by residents and fellow workers.
Speaking to the media, the father of the deceased, Nana Kwabena Nipa III, expressed deep sorrow over the incident. He disclosed that he was on his farm when he received a distress call about his son’s death. He rushed to the scene only to find his son’s body already recovered from the water-filled pit.
“I was shocked and heartbroken. What makes it more painful is the suspicion surrounding the way he died,” said Nana Kwabena Nipa III.
The bereaved father suspects foul play in the death of his son, citing unclear circumstances and a lack of satisfactory explanations from those who were present during the incident.
He has therefore called on the Bibiani police to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the full rigours of the law.
The incident has once again brought to light the dangers associated with illegal mining (galamsey) operations in the region, especially the frequent fatalities resulting from poorly regulated and unsafe mining conditions.
Meanwhile, police in Bibiani have confirmed that investigations are underway to ascertain the true cause of death and determine whether criminal actions contributed to the incident.
