Court remands chainsaw operator for illegal felling of trees

A-20-year old chainsaw operator has been remanded into prison custody by the Nkawie circuit court for unlawful entry and illegally felling trees in a forest reserve.

Kwaku Owusu is said to have unlawfully entered the Tano-Offin Forest Reserve and cut down several tree species without authority.

He pleaded guilty and was convicted on his own plea and would reappear before the court presided by Mr Michael Johnson Abbey on February 06 this year, for sentencing.

Police Inspector Ruth Gborson told the court that the complainant was Mr. Richard Atiogbe, the Range Manager of Tano Ofin Forest Reserve near Awisesu in the Atwima-Mponua District

She said, on December 29, last year at about 1100 hours the complainant and his Rapid Response Team patrolled the reserve and spotted Owusu and his two accomplices, currently at large, clearing the area to saw trees they had fell in the reserve.

Prosecution said he was arrested and handed over to the Nkawie Police where in his cautioned statement admitted the offence.

Source: GNA