Court demands evidence of death, cremation of 2 alleged Chinese galamseyers

The Sefwi Wiawso District Court in the Western North Region, has demanded evidence of the death and cremation of two alleged Chinese illegal miners, at the next sitting on April 15, this year.

The court, therefore, ordered Police Chief Inspector George Asante Noye, a prosecutor in the case of the arrest of 10 illegal miners, including four Chinese, to produce documentary proof of the death and cremation of the two Chinese suspects.

All the accused, made up of four Chinese and six Ghanaians, two of whom were policemen, were arrested on December 12, last year.

They all pleaded guilty to the charge of engaging in illegal mining in a forest reserve.

The six Ghanaians were granted GH¢50,000 bail each, and the four Chinese were granted GH¢200,000 bail each. All the accused, both Ghanaian and Chinese, were expected to produce two sureties each.   

Prosecuting, Chief Insp Noye told the court that accused were apprehended by staff of the Forestry Commission, for alleged illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, in the Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve.

Mr Eric Baah Boateng, the Presiding Magistrate, made the order at the court’s sitting last Friday, when only the six Ghanaians, including the two policemen, were present, while the four Chinese were absent.

The four Chinese suspects were Shi Yu, 30, Weng Yong Cheng, 30, Wen FU Lin, 58, and Lee Pin, 60.

The Ghanaian suspects were Edward Owusu, 25, Kwesi Frank, 42, Abudu Dramani, 41, and Joe Nabur, 27, and the two policemen, Detective Sergeant Yahaya Andrews and Lance Corporal Azantillow.

When the court asked Chief Insp Noye about the whereabouts of the four Chinese, he said two of them died and had been cremated.

Mr Boateng ordered the prosecutor to produce documentary evidence of the death and cremation of the two Chinese on the next adjourned date.

BY TIMES REPORTER