Three fined for secretly burying 'Galamsey' victim

Nkawie (Ash), Sept. 23, GNA -- Three farmers who conspired to secretly bury their relative, who was allegedly trapped to death in an abandoned open mine pit at Bonteso in the Amansie West District, have been fined one million cedis each by a circuit court at Nkawie. Yaw Sarpong, 27, John Kofi, 30, and Kwame Tawiah, 28, all pleaded guilty with explanation to charges of hindrance of inquest. They will go to prison for 24 months each if they fail to pay the fine.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Hanson Agyare told the court presided over by Mr Noble Nkrumah that on August 28, this year, Kofi Addo, 28, the deceased went to the pit for mining activities and in the process the upper part of the rock, which was hanging loose collapsed, trapping him to death.

He said the three farmers led by John Kofi, an elder brother of the deceased informed the police about the death and while the police made efforts to convey the body to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi for autopsy, accused persons secretly buried Addo. The accused on their part explained that they took the action because they felt the body was so bad that conveying it to KATH would be a problem.