Four illegal miners granted GHC480,000 bail

Four out of eight suspects have been granted bail for mining illegally at the Atiwa forest

A circuit court in Koforidua in the eastern region has granted bail to four illegal miners arrested in the Atewa forest reserve.

The four suspects are among eight persons arrested for engaging in illegal mining in the heart of the forest reserve.

The court presided over by her honor, Mercy Adei Kotei granted each of them GHc 120,000 bail with two sureties.

The suspects, Emmanuel Mensah, Rashid Alhassan, Zule Ali, and Emmanuel Owusu were rounded up by guards of the forestry service department in Kyebi.

The forest guards, as part of efforts to clampdown on the destruction of forest reserves had already apprehended Kwaku Ampaabeng , Kwabena Apaw Evans Ahenkorah and Effah Boateng for engaging in illegal mining.

They were caught mining gold in the heart of the forest reserve between Akwadum and Potroase within the enclaves of river Pang and Ominatwi.

The illegal miners cumulatively destroyed 15 hectares of the forest reserve.

The two rivers polluted by the illegal miners flow into river Densu which provides water for about 5 million Ghanaians for both domestic and agricultural uses.

The four who were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, pleaded not guilty whilst their lawyer prayed the court to grant them bail.

Jones Agyei Kumi, the Kyebi range manager of the forestry services department said illegal mining is rampant in the Atewa forest reserve and needs immediate intervention.

" The illegal take advantage of the mountainous nature of the forest reserve, hide and engage in galamsey"

The suspects would reappear in court on October, 24 while remaining four will be put before court on September, 27.