Mechanic in court for sawing lumber

Akim Oda (E/R), Aug 24, GNA – The Akim Oda Magistrate’s Court presided over by Mr Albert Owusu Annor on Tuesday imposed a fine of GH¢400.00 on a 41-year-old mechanic, Paul Mante, for using a chainsaw to cut lumber.

Mante who admitted the offence, would go to prison for 12 months in hard labour, if he failed to pay the fine.

A 31-year-old driver and an accomplice, Kwaku Aboagye, pleaded guilty to abetment of crime and the Court ordered him to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for six months, in addition to producing one surety.

In default, Aboagye would pay GH¢200.00, but failure to do so, he would serve a six-month prison term.

The Court ordered further that the KIA truck with registration number A6751Y used to convey the lumber be released to the owner.

Briefing the Court, Police Chief Inspector Kwadwo Ahenkorah stated that the complainant, Mr Francis Obuobi is the Officer in-charge of the monitoring team of the Forestry Commission at Akim Oda, while the convicts are Mante and Aboagye.

The prosecutor added that on Sunday June 26, this year, at about 0735 hours, Mante was spotted in the “Essea Apam” Forest Reserve near Moffram in Birim Sourth with 60 pieces of Cedrella Cyber Pertanbra, locally called “Onyina” and other species, cut with a chainsaw without any legitimate document from the Forestry Commission.

Aboagye did aid and abet Mante to commit the crime by using his KIA truck to convey the lumber.

Chief Inspector Ahenkorah said the Forestry Commission handed over the convicts to the police for prosecution.