The Forestry Commission has described the 15-month jail term slapped on each of four illegal miners as commendable saying it will deter others from engaging in illegal mining especially in forest reserves.
The four Simon Nsoh, 40; Yaw Aning, 28; Yaw Appiah 22 and Hamidu Sulemana 19 years invaded the Jeni Forest Reserve in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region and started minning illegally.
They were arrested by the Rapid Response Team of the Forestry Commission on September 10, 2018. The team seized a pumping machine, shovels, gold washing machine, among other artisanal mining equipment.
The four illegal miners pleaded guilty when they first appeared before the court on Friday, allowing the judge to give the ruling. The Prosecutor, Detective Inspector Stephen Ofori, told the court the action of the convicts who until their arrest were mining gold illegally, has caused damage to the forest reserve.
A Bekwai Circuit Court presided by A.W.K. Nawurah sentenced each of the four galamsey operators to 15-months imprisonment with hard labour.
