Alexander Addo, 24, who is unemployed, was fined GH 1.2 billion by a circuit court in Dormaa-Ahenkro, Dormaa Central Municipality of Bono Region for indulging in small-scale mining without a permit.
Addo confessed to the crime. If not, he would be sentenced to 20 years in jail with hard labour.
The complainant, a farmer, and the prisoner both resided in separate areas of Wamfie, the district headquarters of Dormaa East, Bono Region, according to Police Inspector (P/Inspt.) Emmanuel Asare, who testified before the court presided over by Mr. Samuel Djanie Kotey.
According to P/Inspt. Asare, the complainant had property in Wammu, close to Wamfie, where some of the land had been used to grow plantains and vegetables.
He said that the prisoner and other "galamseyers" (illegal miners) had taken control of the area and severely damaged it for more than a year.
All attempts by the police and the complainant to apprehend those illegal miners had been unsuccessful, according to P/Inspt. Asare. It wasn't until about four months ago that the complainant, with the help of a few young men, apprehended the accused while he was actively engaging in illegal mining on the farmland.
According to the prosecution, the defendant fled while being escorted to the police station.
On Sunday, December 12, 2022, at around 1700 hours, the complainant paid a visit to her farm, where she saw the accused and one other accomplice who were busily mining on the field.
He said that the complainant went into hiding, called her son, a witness in the case, to the spot, and they discussed how to apprehend miners.
The accuser and his accomplice were washing and sifting some soil near the Wam River's bank with the goal of finding gold when the complainant and her son discreetly went for home and returned that evening at around 1900 hours.
The accused and his accomplice allegedly left when they noticed the complainant and her son, according to the prosecution.
However, they were able to apprehend the culprit and deliver him to the police, along with a cleaning carpet and a plastic container.
On Monday, December 19, 2022, at around 7:00 a.m., P/Insp. Asare reported that the complainant went back to the area and discovered a pickaxe, a shovel, and a cutlass that were allegedly used by the accused and his accomplice.
In his investigative caution statement to police, the convicted offender acknowledged the crime over the course of the inquiry and named one Effah of Wamfie as his collaborator.
When the police went to Effah's residence, they were informed that he had left town. Following further investigation, the inmate was charged with the crime.
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