Four illegal miners fined GH¢16,800

The Nkawie Circuit Court has fined four illegal miners, including two students to total amounts of GH¢16,800.00, for unlawfully entering the Desire Forest Reserve in the Nkawie forest district, prospecting for gold without authority.

Stephen Yeboah 20, and Pasooba Issifu 18, both students, pleaded guilty and were together fined GH¢3,600.00 each.

The two others, Kwabena Twumasi 29, and Issah Abubakar 25, both farmers, also pleaded guilty to the charges and were fined GH¢4,800.00 each.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Jonas Newlove Agyei told the Court, presided over by Mr. Michael Johnson Abbey that, the complainant was the Range Manager of the Desire Forest Reserve near Nimasua Number Two, in the Ahafo-Ano North Municipality.

He said on June 6 this year, a joint military and police team, with forestry officials, went on patrols in the reserve and met the accused persons together with about 20 others, mining gold in the forest without authority.

They were arrested together with two motorbikes, four shovels and four pick axes.

Inspector Agyei said the accused persons were transferred to the Manfo police station and in their statements, admitted to engaging in illegal mining after which they were brought before the court.

Source: GNA