The Kintampo Forest District Manager, Mr. Emmanuel Yeboah has stated that a total of nineteen (19) persons have been arrested and prosecuted for illegally felling teak trees in the district.
He said they were charged in accordance with section 17(2) of the Timber Resources Management Act, 1997, Act 547. Mr. Yeboah explained that under the act, offenders are made to pay ten (10) times or thousand (1,000) percent the commercial value of the teak billets.
He said that, the first batch of four offenders sent to the Kintampo Community Tribunal were found guilty and fined a total of ?12 million. Only one person Mr. Adams Ibrahim was able to pay his fine of ?3 million but the rest; Kwaku Yahaya alias Fatao, Kwesi Atorigwina and Ali Iddrisu who could not pay their fines were each sentenced to six months prison terms.
The District Forest Manager revealed that the other fifteen offenders were found guilty and were fined various sums of money ranging from ?2million. Mr. Kwame Amponsah, who was arrested conveying teak billets in a vehicle No. AS 9636G at ?2.5 million from Bosomoa Forest Reserve was also sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
Mr. Yeboah gave the assurance that, despite some threats on their lives, he and his able staff are ever prepared to intensify their patrols to combat the illegal felling of timber in the district.
