Five unlicensed miners who were discovered working in the Ankobra River without permission have received a sentence of 125 years in jail with hard labour.
To charges of conspiring to commit a crime and engaging in small-scale mining without authorization, Richard Kumasi, Fiamahe Jerry John, Korblavi Kumasi, Daniel Afenu, and Matthew Gedie entered a not guilty plea.
After a trial, the five defendants were all found guilty of the allegations brought against them by the presiding judge, Mrs. Hathia Ama Manu.
Each of them received a five-year jail term on count one, and on count two, they each received a fine of GH + 120,000, or, in the event of default, a five-year prison sentence plus 20 years of hard labour. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The complainant is Nana Yaw Baako, an assemblyman from the Himan Electoral Area, according to the prosecuting assistant state attorney of the Western Region, Mr. Kingsley Agyekum. The accused were found to be illegal miners who lived in the Ankobra neighbourhood of the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality.
The complainant and five opinion leaders received information that the accused were using a dredging machine known as “Boat” to prospect for gold in the Ankobra River on August 17, 2021, about 1500 hours.
Based on the tip-off, they travelled to the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality’s Kpoviadzi hamlet, where they encountered the five people who were employed.
They were all detained, according to Mr. Agyekum, and turned over to Prestea police for use in their investigation while the dredging equipment was set ablaze.
Before the trial, the five defendants were granted bail as requested by their attorney, Mr. Augustine Arvoh-Mensah.
