Court fines three illegal miners

A Tarkwa Circuit Court on has fined Kwame Obeng, a 30 year-old illegal miner, Ibrahim Sinare, 28, mason and Isaac Arnold, a total of GH¢ 32, 2,160 for illegally mining in the concession of Goldfields Ghana Limited, Tarkwa.

The accused persons pleaded guilty to the charge and would in default of the fine, serve 24 months imprisonment each.

Prosecuting, Police Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, told the court, presided by Mr. Justice Obeng Asante, that the complainants were security officers of Goldfields Ghana Limited, Tarkwa, while the accused persons were residents of Badukrom, a farming community in Tarkwa.

Chief Inspector Amponsah said at about 1245 hours August 30, last year, the complainants were on their normal rounds patrol duty when they spotted the accused persons with a pick axe, two torch lights, a sample tyre and a hammer, mining at the Akontasi gap waste dump area, which is within the company’s concession.

The Prosecutor said the accused persons were, consequently, arrested and handed over to the Police together with the items found on them.

He said after investigation they were charged with the offence.