TWO galamsey operators accused of attempting to carry out illegal mining in the Birim River at Ankaase in the Eastern Region have been sentenced to a GH¢700 fine each by the Anyinam Magistrate’s Court.
In default, Ishmael Donkokoa, 38, and Azekeh Zakaria, 32, will serve a one-year prison sentence with hard labour.
The two accused persons were committed to the fine on their own plea.
The two had pleaded for forgiveness from the court on the ground that they were only about to begin their operations in the river when they were arrested.
While passing sentence, the court, presided by Mr Joseph Twumasi, said the two convicts were quite youthful, first offenders and, therefore, should be spared custodian sentences.
The prosecution’s case was that the convicts, who are residents of Akwatia, went to Ankaase, near Anyinam, to carry out their illegal mining activities.
According to Detective Chief Inspector Martin Amofah, about 9 a.m. on April 22, 2010, the Okyeman Mining Task Force, led by the Chief of Enyiresi, Nana Kyei Sarfo Kantanka, spotted a boat-looking structure on the Birim River near Ankaase.
The members of the task force, who were on their routine patrol duties along the Birim River to check the activities of illegal mining, suspected that the structure was being used for illegal mining and, therefore, informed the Anyinam Police.
Detective Chief Inspector Amofah said a team of policemen was immediately sent to where the structure had been found on the river.
He said after thorough investigations, the two convicts claimed ownership of the structure.
"When the police took them to the Anyinam Police Station, they told the police during interrogations that they had just mounted the structure on the river when they were arrested," the prosecutor stated.
No comments:
Post a Comment