Chainsaw Operator Nabbed For Threatening Police Officer, Forest Guard

Asamankese (Central Region), 29 Oct. A chainsaw operator, Kwadwo Mensah, who allegedly threatened to ''finish off'' a police sergeant and a forestry guard has been remanded in police custody by the Asamankese circuit court until November three. Police Inspector Alhassan Amadu told the court presided over by Mr. S.S. Appiah that on October 25, Mr Ebenezer Asomani, a forestry guard had information that Mensah alias ''kokoti'' who lives at Yebeyebi cottage near Adiembra had felled three trees illegally. Mr Asomani visited the scene and saw that the accused had felled two 'Asanfena' trees on which he had not paid 228,800 cedis royalties. He had also felled one 'esa' tree on which he was supposed to pay a royalty of 45,158 cedis. When the accused failed to produce a permit, Mr Asamani asked him to go to Kade for a one but he ignored him. A report was made to the Asamankese police and Sergeant S.K. Dziekpor was detailed to go with the forestry guard to pick up Mensah. On reaching the forest, the two men saw Mensah busily working on the trees and when they invited him to go with them to the police station he said ''No Way'' and that neither he nor his machine would get to the police station. Sgt. Dziekpor therefore advanced towards Mensah who sparked the machine and threatened to finish off the two men, but the policeman quickly managed to put off the machine. Inspector Amadu said Mensah after struggling with the two men for nearly 40 minutes managed to escape. His machine was therefore carried to the police station. Two days later on November 27, he was spotted at Asamankese and was arrested. Mensah pleaded ''guilty with explanation'' for threat of harm but not guilty for illegal felling of trees.