Nkawie, (Ash), April 27, GNA – The Nkawie Circuit Court has remanded three persons into police custody for illegal mining in a forest reserve.
Francis Kankam 58, Evans Boateng 19, both farmers, and Musah Abdul Raffic 18, a student, are said to have unlawfully entered the Offin Shelter Forest Reserve at Ataso, in the Atwima Mponua District to do illegal mining there.
Their pleas were not taken and would reappear before the court presided by Mr Johnson Abbey on May 07, this year.
Prosecuting, Police Inspector Ruth Gborson told the court that, the complainant was the Range Manager of the Offin Shelter Forest Reserve.
She said on April 24 this year, at about 1300 hours the complainant led a taskforce into the reserve and met the three accused busily digging for gold in the reserve.
They were arrested and brought to the Nkawie Police station where they admitted in their cautioned statement of undertaking illegal activity in a forest reserve without authority.
The prosecution said they were then charged and brought before the court.
GNA