Berenice Owen-Jones, Australia’s incoming High Commissioner and Ghanaian officials met on Tuesday at the Ministry of Natural Resources in Accra. Ghanaian officials praised the role of Australian miners in Ghana and said Jinapor was “looking forward” to travelling to Perth.

But that relationship is now set to come under strain. Senior opposition MP James Agalga has called for a criminal investigation into the incidents at Shaanxi operations, and the local community in Talensi has escalated its campaign against the Chinese state-linked mine. Shaanxi, now known as Earl International, has denied the allegations.

Bugre Samuel Sapak, the chairman of local advocacy group the Concerned Citizens of Talensi accused the company of destroying the community.

“This company is wicked. Shaanxi is wicked. They don’t treat us as human beings. The company has treated us inhumanely and they don’t recognise us as moral agents or right citizens in the area. They are interested in profits, making super profits.

“Minerals Commission was also aware that Shaanxi was stealing gold from Cassius Mining Limited. So, looking at all these against Shaanxi Mining Company, our people have not been treated fairly.

One villager who asked not to be identified due to concerns for their safety said revisiting the incidents through The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age’s investigation had been painful for the community.

“People are crying,” he said. “Would any African man go to China to kill their people and destroy their land? It doesn’t make sense. They don’t know how it feels to lose someone, to lose a breadwinner. What is their crime? They did nothing to deserve this.

Cassius’ chief executive James Arkoudis has declined to comment publicly on the $395 million case the company will bring against the Ghanaian government in the Court of International Arbitration later this year.