A Tarkwa Circuit Court presided over by Judge Hathia Ama Manu sentenced two men to a total of 30 years in prison for the theft of essential machinery parts from a mining concession. A 3News report identified the convicts as Eric Saki and Prince Boateng who were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and stealing items valued at thousands of cedis.
The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Joseph Jaman stated that the incident occurred at a legal mining site situated within the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality. According to GhanaWeb the court heard how the individuals trespassed into the site to dismantle hydraulic pumps and control valves from heavy excavators parked on the premises.
Security personnel on duty at the facility spotted the movement of the convicts during the night and initiated an alarm that led to their apprehension. Citi Newsroom reports that the police recovered the stolen equipment from the possession of the accused persons shortly after they attempted to flee the scene with the heavy components.
During the court proceedings the convicts pleaded not guilty to the charges however the prosecution presented evidence including the recovered machinery parts and testimonies from onsite witnesses. The presiding judge noted that the stiff sentence was intended to serve as a deterrent to others targeting the investments of mining companies in the Western Region.