Court dismisses Saw miller's suit but.

Nyinahin (Ash), July 10, GNA - A suit filed by a saw miller at the Nyinahin Magistrate Court claiming GH¢115 from two alleged illegal chainsaw operators for refusing to supply him with Mahogany logs, has been dismissed by the court. Mr Augustine Essah, the presiding Magistrate who dismissed the suit told the court that, it was an offence for any person or group of persons to aid and abet any individual to engage in illegal chainsaw operation. Quoting legal sessions, he said, the Timber Resource Management Regulation Legislative Instrument (L.I) 1649 introduced in 1988 and L.I. 1721 re-introduced in 2003 criminalises the production, sale and purchase of sawn lumber. Mr Kwaku Boah, the plaintiff saw miller, filed the suit against Eric Opoku and Kwabena Tawiah for refusing to supply him with Mahogany Logs. The Presiding Magistrate stressed that, the law enjoined anyone who came to the court of law accusing some other person of wrong doing to come with "clean hands." The two defendants pleaded not liable to the offence. "The Plaintiff's hands are already tainted for aiding and abetting defendants to commit a crime", he added. Mr Essah said the Plaintiff must, therefore, pay dearly for his actions.