Four fined for illegal timber activities

Ejura (Ash), Oct. 10, GNA - Four people were on Thursday fined a total of 13 million cedis by the Ejura district magistrate's court for unlawful entry into a forest reserve, illegal felling of trees and conveying forest products without authority.

They are Kwabena Asamoah, 40, Kwame Asare, 30, Mutalla Adams, 23 and Samuel Mumuni, 19.

They all pleaded guilty to the charges.

The court also issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Kofi Owusu, the fifth accused person for failing to appear before the court. Asamoah who received the heaviest fine of ten million cedis for conspiracy to commit a crime, unlawful entry into a forest reserve and illegal felling of trees, will serve a 24-month sentence in default.

Adams and Mumuni who were charged with entering a forest reserve without authority and Asare who faced a charge of conveying forest products without timber conveyance certificate, were fined one million cedis each or in default will serve 12 months' imprisonment.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) William Kwame Awuvey told the court that at about 2100 hrs on September 29, this year, he had a tip-off that some people had entered the Bonyon forest reserve and were felling trees.

DSP Awuvey said at about 1230 hrs, an undercover team intercepted a Mercedez truck driven by Asare with four people on board coming from the forest reserve.

He said when the vehicle was searched, ten pieces of teak were found on it and so those on board were all arrested and escorted to the Ejura police station where Asamoah was identified as the owners of the products.

DSP Awuvey said the police later visited the forest reserve and found that 20 teak trees had been felled and cut into 50 pieces and so they were conveyed to the police station and after investigations the culprits were charged with the offences.