Apprentice welder jailed for mining under high tension cable

The Tarkwa circuit court has sentenced George Fynn, an apprentice welder, to 20 years imprisonment in hard for mining under a high tension cable.

Fynn, who was charged with conspiracy and illegal mining, pleaded guilty to the charges.

Mr Kingsley Agyekum, Assistant State Attorney, Western Region, who led prosecution told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu said, Joseph Ntiful, the unit committee chairman at Esuoso, in Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality is the complainant.

He said the accused, and his accomplices, whose names were given as Effah and Christian, were both at large.

Mr Agyekum said for some period now, illegal miners had turned a portion of land under the electricity high tension cable at the outskirt of Esuoso, into illegal mining site.

He said the chief of Esuoso refilled all the pits dug by the illegal miners to ensure it did not affect the high tension cables.

The Assistant State Attorney said on August 30, 2021, at about 2:30 am, Fynn and his accomplices went to the site where they have been banned from mining, dug three new pits at the same area and were mining.

He said the chief of Esuoso had a tip-off and ordered for the arrest of the accused persons, but a witness who reside near the scene went to the site and the three on seeing him took to their heels.

According to Mr Agyekum, lack eluded Fynn and he was arrested and taken to the chief who instructed the complainant to hand him over to the Tarkwa Police where they lodged a complaint.