A Tarkwa Circuit Court presided over by Judge Hathia Ama Manoel sentenced two foreign nationals to five years imprisonment each for their involvement in illegal mining activities. The GhanaWeb report indicates that the individuals were apprehended within the Bonsa River Forest Reserve located in the Tarkwa Forest District of the Western Region. This sentencing follows recent efforts by the Forestry Commission to curb environmental degradation within protected zones.
The convicts were identified in a Graphic Online report as being part of a group engaged in unauthorized gold mining known locally as galamsey. The prosecution stated that the Forestry Commission Rapid Response Team conducted a targeted operation that led to the arrest of the two men while they were actively operating mining equipment inside the forest reserve. The court found them guilty of charges related to mining without a license and entering a protected forest without authorization.
In addition to the five year prison terms the court imposed a fine of fifteen thousand penalty units on each convict as reported by Citi Newsroom. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional three years of imprisonment for each individual. The presiding judge emphasized that the sentence serves as a deterrent to others considering similar illegal acts within Ghana forest reserves.
The Forestry Commission stated through its regional representatives that officials seized various mining implements during the operation. According to the GhanaWeb report the equipment included water pumping machines and digging tools used to excavate the forest floor. The commission confirmed that the seized items will be destroyed or confiscated by the state following the court order.