George Fynn, an apprentice welder, was sentenced to 20 years in prison with hard labour by the Tarkwa Circuit Court for mining under a high-tension cable.
Fynn, who was accused with conspiracy and illegal mining, entered a guilty plea.
Mr Kingsley Agyekum, Assistant State Attorney for the Western Region, who led the prosecution, informed the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manusaid that the complainant is Joseph Ntiful, the unit committee chairman at Esuoso in Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality.
He stated that the accused and his accomplices, Effah and Christian, were still at large.
Mr Agyekum stated that illegal miners had turned a stretch of land beneath an energy high-tension cable on the outskirts of Esuoso into an illegal mining camp for some time.
He stated that the accused and his accomplices, Effah and Christian, were still at large.
Mr Agyekum stated that illegal miners had turned a stretch of land beneath an energy high-tension cable on the outskirts of Esuoso into an illegal mining camp for some time.
He stated that the chief of Esuoso refilled all of the pits dug by the illegal miners to ensure that the high-tension cables were not harmed.
According to the Assistant State Attorney, on August 30, 2021, around 2:30 a.m., Fynn and his associates went to the site where they had been prohibited from mining, dug three new pits in the same area, and started mining.
He claimed that the chief of Esuoso received a tip and ordered the arrest of the accused, but a witness who lived nearby went to the spot and the three fled when they saw him.
According to Mr Agyekum, Fynn was arrested and taken before the chief, who told the complainant to give him over to the Tarkwa Police, where they registered a complaint.
