Miners remanded for gold robbery attempt

Two miners accused of attempting to steal 29 blades of gold with cash of GHc4, 500.00 from some gold buyers at Asankrangwa-Breman have been remanded into prison custody.

The accused, Kwadwo Atta and Kwesi Kwaku, who allegedly inflicted cutlass wounds on the complainants have been charged for conspiracy to commit crime, robbery and causing harm.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges and they would re-appear before the court on March 16, for further hearing.

Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, told the Court, presided over by Mr. Justice Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew, that the complainants, Boakye Shadrak and Boakye Meshack, were gold buyers who owned gold shops at Asankrangwa-Breman in the Amenfi West District of the Western Region.

He said on January 19, at about 1900 hours, the complainants left their shops to purchase gold from some miners in the area.

According to the prosecutor, when they were returning from the mining site on a motorbike with a bag containing 29 blades of gold valued at GHc 2,941.00 and cash sum of GHc4, 500.00, they were attacked by the accused persons so their motorbike ran into a ditch.

The accused persons took advantage of the accident, attacked them and inflicted multiple cutlass wounds on their bodies and took away their bag containing the gold blades and the money, the Prosecutor said.

However, he said, the complainants chased the accused persons and Kwadwo Atta, who was holding the bag, fell down so the complainants quickly took it, but the culprits managed to escape.

The prosecutor said on January 20, Kwesi Kwaku was arrested in connection with another robbery, while Kwadwo Atta was also arrested by the Unit Committee members in the town on January 22, who handed him over to the Police.