A Takoradi Circuit Court presided over by Justice Abigail Animah Asare (Mrs) has sentenced three persons engaged in small scale mining without license to 15 years each imprisonment.
The three, Joseph Donkor,40, a farmer, Joseph Paul, 27 and Charles Ewusi, 27, residents of Alabonkata in the Ahanta West Municipal would serve a total of 45 years.
They would serve additional two weeks in prison if they fail to pay a fine of 10k penalty unit slapped on each person. A penalty unit is GHC12.
The three Ghanaians pleaded guilty to their respective charge of conspiracy to commit crime namely, undertaking small scale mining without license contrary to section 23(1) of the criminal offences Act 29 of 1960and 99(2) of the Minerals Act of 2006.
Prosecuting, Sergeant Robert Amonoo Yawson told the court that the complainant in the case was a Forester with the Forestry Service Division, Takoradi District, in charge of supervision of Cape 3 Point Forest Reserve.
Prosecutor Yawson continued that on the 16th February 2021, the complainant joined the National Rapid Response Team made up of Forest Guards to patrol the Cape 3 Point forest reserves.
The team encountered the accused persons and many others who were actively engaged in digging and washing of sand as part of illegal mining. The team succeeded in arresting the accused persons.
At the scene of the crime, Prosecutor Yawson informed the Court that the accused persons were photographed for evidential purposes.
They were subsequently handed over to the Police Regional CID,Sekondi, for investigation. The accused admitted to the offences in their various caution statements.
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