According to the Attorney-General (A-G) and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, 727 people are now on trial across the nation for allegedly participating in illicit mining, often known as galamsey.
The 727 people were reportedly engaged in 117 cases that were ongoing before various High Courts and Circuit Courts, according to the A-G.
In a statement, Mr. Dame stated that of the 117 instances, 50 were reported from the Eastern Region, 33 from the Western Region, 23 from the Ashanti Region, seven from the Greater Accra Region, and three and one from the Upper East and Northern Regions, respectively.
"On average, at least six or seven people are detained and prosecuted in a typical Galamsey case." "Cases are often prosecuted in the area where the arrests took place," the AG stated.
According to the government's top legal adviser, the 727 accused people were suspected of crimes including operating a mining enterprise without a license and purchasing and selling minerals without a permit.
Increased penalty
He said that the crimes fell under the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995), an amendment to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) that carried harsher penalties.
According to Section 99 of Act 995, a Ghanaian who engages in unlawful mining or who instructs, incites, or employs others to engage in illegal mining commits an offense and is subject to a punishment of at least 10,000 penalty units (GH120,000) and at most GH150,000 upon summary conviction.
more than 15,000 penalty units (GH180 000) and a sentence of at least 15 years but no longer than 25 years in jail.
Act 995 establishes a fine of not less than 100,000 penalty units (GH1.2 million) and not more than 300,000 penalty units (GH3.6 million), as well as a term of imprisonment of not less than 20 years and not more than 25 years, or both the fine and the term of imprisonment, for foreigners who engage in illegal mining.
According to the A-G, the passing of Act 995 in 2019 was a sign from the Akufo-Addo government that it would go above and beyond in the battle against illicit mining and would stop at nothing to ensure that offenders were held accountable and punished appropriately.
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