The audiovisual recording device in the office of the Lands and Natural Resources Minister could have been planted there by persons against his fight against illegal mining (galamsey), security expert Dr. Kwesi Aning has suggested.

It is not known when the minister John Peter Amewu’s office was bugged, but the Bureau of National Investigation has commenced investigations into the matter.

The device was uncovered by national security operatives during a routine screening exercise at the Ministry in June, and was planted behind a huge Coat of Arms plaque in the Minister’s office.

Speaking on TV3’s News 360 on Monday, Dr. Aning who is with the Kofi Anann International Peacekeeping Training Centre said the powerful secret recording equipment can pick the “slightest noise”.

The set-up included a camera, a storage unit and another device suspected to be a transmitter.

The minister has been at the forefront of intense crusade against illegal mining, a source of livelihood to thousands of people in mining areas with powerful people both local and foreign behind their activities.

“It is natural that those whose interest is being threatened by the state swill also fight back,” Dr. Aning pointed out.

He described the bugging development as “very worrying”, but suspected that the planting of the device could also be a diversionary tactics to divert government attention from galamsey to security.