A Koforidua Circuit Court has ordered the remand of two individuals into police custody for their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities within the Atewa Range Forest Reserve. According to a Ghana News Agency report the suspects were apprehended during a joint operation aimed at curbing environmental degradation in protected zones. The prosecution informed the court that the suspects were found operating without valid licenses and had caused significant damage to the forest floor and local water bodies.
Daily Guide Network reports that the individuals whose names were withheld pending further investigations were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and mining without a license. The court presided over by His Honour Jojo Amoah Khartey declined bail applications after the prosecution argued that the suspects might interfere with ongoing investigations if released. The case was adjourned to allows the police to finalize their evidence collection and identify other accomplices suspected to be part of the mining syndicate.
The Forestry Commission of Ghana stated during the proceedings that the Atewa Forest serves as a critical watershed and any unauthorized activity poses a threat to the regional water supply. Officials from the commission testified that mining gear and basic excavating tools were recovered from the site during the arrest. The Ghana News Agency report noted that the suspects were caught in the act of excavating soil in a restricted section of the reserve near the Kyebi area.
As of the last court session the defendants have not yet entered a formal plea to the charges. Citi Newsroom reports that local environmental advocates have been calling for stricter enforcement of mining laws to protect the remaining forest reserves in the Eastern Region. The court has scheduled the next hearing for the suspects to reappear in early September to face further cross examination by the state authorities.