GENERAL NEWS

Five illegal miners jailed 125 years for mining in River Ankobra

Richard Kumasi, Fiamahe Jerry John, Korblavi Kumasi, Daniel Afenu, and Matthew Gedie, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit crime and undertaking small scale mining without authority.

Mrs Hathia Ama Manu, the presiding judge, after trial, found all five persons guilty of the charges leveled against them.

On count one, the court sentenced each one of them to five years imprisonment, while on count two, each was fined GH¢120,000 or in default five years imprisonment plus 20 years in hard labour. The sentences are to run concurrently.

The Assistant State Attorney of the Western Region, Mr Kingsley Agyekum, prosecuting, said Nana Yaw Baako, the Assemblymember of Himan Electoral Area, is the complainant, while the accused persons were illegal miners, resident at Ankobra in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality.

On August 17, 2021, at about 1500 hours, the complainant and five opinion leaders had information that the accused persons were prospecting for gold with a dredge machine, popularly known as “Boat” in the Ankobra River.

Based on the tip-off, they proceeded to a village called Kpoviadzi in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality, where they met the five persons working.

Mr Agyekum said they were all apprehended and handed over to the police at Prestea to assist in investigations, while the dredge machine was set ablaze.

The five persons, before the trial, were admitted to bail as prayed by their counsel, Mr Augustine Arvoh-Mensah.

 

Source: GNA

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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