The convicts
Sunyani Magistrate Court ‘A,’ presided over by Jojo Hagan, yesterday sentenced one timber merchant and seven illegal chainsaw operators to 48 months’ imprisonment in hard labour.
Each of them was jailed six months, to run concurrently.
The eight were charged with entering the Asukese Forest Reserve and felling trees without obtaining written permission, contrary to Section One (1a) of the Forest Protection Act 624 as amended by Act 29. They were convicted on their own pleas. Apart from Kwame Poku, who was convicted on two counts, the rest were sentenced on one count each.
Kwame Poku 45, who is a timber merchant, was convicted for harvesting timber without valid timber utilization contract, contrary to Section 17(2)A of the Timber Resources Management Act 547, as amended by Act 617. On another count, he was sentenced for carrying timber without permit, contrary to Section 17(2)E of Act 547 as amended by Act 617 of 2002. The court said the seven others were working for him.
They are Aboagye Bismarck, 27; Michael Adu, 45; Yaw Kumi, 39; Dominic Marfo, 19; Kwaku Benjamin, 25; Simon Adu, 33 and Augustine Minta, 50.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Martin Owusu Abeah told the court that the eight entered the Asukese Forest on 24th of this month and felled four wawabima trees, three mahogany and one mansonia without written permission from the Forest Service.
Convicting them, Mr. Jojo Hagan said he considered the fact that they were first time offenders. He however, ordered the investigator, Prince Oppong Amaknwa, to confiscate and auction all the implements that were impounded and pay the proceeds into government chest. Sunyani West District forestry manager, Bennett Ntiamoah, was happy with the sentence, saying their efforts (forestry officials) had not been in vain.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani
danielyaodayee@yahoo.com