Court sentences 2 Chainsaw Operators to 2 years imprisonment each

By Hillary Thompson, Accra

The Sehwi Wiawso Magistrate Court has sentenced 2 out of 16 illegal chainsaw operators arrested by personnel from the Juaboso-Bia Forest District and the military to two years imprisonment each.

The two are Kofi Simon, 18, and Yaw Mohammed aged 21.

The 14 others who operated at the Krokosue hill forest reserve have been remanded.

They are Kwabena Badu, Hamidu Issah, Kwadwo Amofa, Yeboah Acheampong, Abdul Manu, Kwasi Safo, Nana Osei, Anthony Manu, Isaac Kyere, Abdul Gafaru, Yaw Ibrahim, Kwame Kyere, Philip Addai, and Eric Mensah.

Chainsaw machines, gallons of fuel, locally manufactured guns, tramadol tablets among others were retrieved by the security team.

Meanwhile, the Juaboso-Bia Forest District manager, Mark Aidoo Gyamfi, has disclosed that his outfit will continue to arrest illegal operators.

“Those who are behind this action are not on the field, we have not apprehended them. They hire people and once we arrest them, they get replacements,” he said.

Mr Mark Aidoo, also expressed dissatisfaction with how some cases sent to the police are handled.

“Some of the officers have helped but others have not. Can you imagine we arrested an individual but due to distance we sent him to Adabokrom but when we got there, the officer said it was late and could not take us in.”

“Also, some of the prosecutors are unable to tell the court exactly what we said, which affects the cases. I don’t know if this is a deliberate attempt.”