Court grants community Forestry Committee member bail

Nkawie (Ash), May 14, GNA- The Nkawie Magistrate's court on Wednesday granted a member of the Pamuruso Forest Committee 50 million cedis bail for illegally felling timber in a forest reserve. Kofi Amanano pleaded guilty and will re-appear on June 2 for sentence.

Police Inspector G.K. Letsah told the court presided over by Mr Beresford Safo Acquah, that on February 7, this year, forestry officials were on their rounds at Pamuruso near Nyinahin to check illegal operations in the area. He said on reaching the Tano-Offin forest reserve, they detected that someone had felled seven trees from the reserve.

Inspector Letsah said Amanano after felling the trees contacted a timber contractor in Kumasi to come and convey the trees but he refused and so the accused, eager to dispose of the trees contacted another timber contractor who also refused to buy the trees. He said the forestry officials who found the trees therefore made a report to the Nkawie forestry Manager who also reported the case to the police.