Bolgatanga, (Upper East) 1 Oct.,
Bolgatanga, (Upper East) 1 Oct., Seventy-six illegal immigrants engaged in illicit gold mining at Yakot, a mining village in the Bolgatanga district, are to be repatriated. A Bolgatanga circuit court presided over by Mr Albert Sulia Kuoro gave the order when the illegal immigrants from Burkina Faso and Niger aged between 20 and 50 years appeared before it today. Mr Kuoro said there was no point imprisoning the accused in view of their large number. The immigrants, who pleaded guilty to engaging in illegal gold mining activities, appealed to the court for leniency. Assistant Superintendent of Police Ebenezer Addo told the court that they were arrested during a police swoop to rid the Bolgatanga district of illegal miners. Sulemana Baajo, a 24-year old Burkinabe, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the court for being lenient with them.
