Two ''galamsey'' operators jailed for stealing

Sekondi, July 28, GNA - Two ''galamsey'' operators, Emmanuel Mochia, 29, and Kojo Ampiah, 21, were on Monday jailed five years each by a Sekondi Circuit Court for stealing refined and unrefined gold valued at 3.5 million cedis. They pleaded guilty.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Isaac Nyarko told the court that the complainant David Bukroh and the accused persons lived at Nsuaem and operated their galamsey at Kaniakor, near Nsuaem. He said on July 17 Bukroh left for his mine site to weigh his gold and in the process, the two, who had been monitoring him, followed him to the site. Chief Inspector Nyarko said the following night Mochia and Ampah laid ambush near the complainant's site, attacked him and snatched a bag containing the gold. He said Mochia, however, fell into one of the abandoned mine pits and was arrested. He later led the Police to arrest his accomplice.