Newmont Ghana, a subsidiary of Newmont Corporation has rubbished allegations indicating that its guards have shot and killed some illegal miners at its Ahafo mine’s operational area.

Last Friday, the local police and traditional authorities from Hwidiem in the Asutifi North District, sought permission from the company for a group of illegal artisanal miners to have access to its operational area in search of a colleague they believed must have fallen into the pit.

The company granted access and the body was located, identified, and retrieved from an illegal mining pit dug within the Ahafo mine’s Apensu pit area.

After the incident, wrong information spread on social media with reports speculating that the illegal miner had been shot and killed by guards of Newmont Ghana.

Through a press release, the leading gold mining company has rubbished the claims, insisting that its guards do not even carry weapons.

“Newmont Ghana’s private security contractors are unarmed as per Ghanaian law,” Alex Kofi Annin, Acting General Manager, Ahafo mine is quoted in the press release said.

“The Police are investigating and we are fully cooperating with them to establish the cause of the death,” he added.