Farmer fined for entering wildlife reserve

A 55-year-old farmer, Charles Adom, had been fined a total of GHC1,080.00 by the Half Assini Magistrate’s Court for poaching in the Ankasa Games and Wildlife Reserve in the Jomoro District.

He pleaded guilty to all the three counts and was convicted accordingly.

The charges were illegal entry into Ankasa Game and Wildlife Conservation area, snarling or destroying animals in Ankasa Forest Reserve and bringing equipment into Ankasa Forest Reserve.

He is to pay GHC600.00 on counts One & Three and GHC480.00 on count Two.

Adom will go to prison for twelve and nine months in hard labour respectively if he fails to pay the fine.

The Court Presided over by Mr Abdul Majid Illiasu, ordered that the fines be cumulative while the terms run concurrently.

The convict is also to pay GHC200.00 to the Forest Officials for cost of prosecution.

Prosecuting Police Sergeant Isaac E. Otoo, said complaints in the case were staff of the Game and Wildlife Conservation of Ankasa Forest Reserve near Mpataba while the accused was a farmer in the area.

He said at 1430 hours on February 27, 2016, complaints were on their usual foot patrols in the forest and at Dadwen in the Forest, met the accused with a sack containing two dead Pangolins, two giant snails and a cutlass.

The Prosecution said when they asked him of his permit authorizing him to the area, he could not produce anything.

The accused was subsequently arrested and escorted to Elubo Police Station where a formal complaint was lodged against him.

He said accused admitted the offence in his Police investigation caution statement and after investigation he put before the court.

Passing the sentence, the Magistrate said the preserved Pangolin was to be sold by Public Auction and proceeds paid into the Consolidated Fund.

The giant snails which were still alive were to be returned to their habitation in the Forest Reserve and the sack and cutlass confiscated to the state.