The Bekwai Circuit Court, in a recent development, has remanded three Chinese and seven Ghanaian illegal miners. This comes as a result of a well-coordinated effort by the Bekwai Forest District of the Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission to crack down on illegal mining within the Oda River Forest Reserve.
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The Arrest and Operation
The illegal miners, comprising seven Ghanaians and three Chinese nationals, were caught operating in seven different compartments within the reserve. This significant three-day operation involved the joint efforts of the Bekwai Forest District and Rapid Response Teams from four other forest districts. During this impressive display of enforcement, two Toyota Hilux pickups with registration numbers 1265 A and GT 7366-12 were confiscated, along with various mining equipment and machinery used by the perpetrators.
In capturing the scale of the operation, a total of ten excavators, nineteen fuel tanks, nine power plants, two 'chanfang' machines, four motorbikes, five water pumping machines, and one and seven wooden structures were immobilized.
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Legal Actions and Remand
Following the arrests, seven out of the ten suspects were arraigned before the Bekwai Circuit Court on December 7. The remaining three individuals faced a similar fate, with their court appearance following on December 8. All ten suspects have been remanded into police custody for a week, marking a significant step in holding those responsible for illegal mining activities accountable for their actions.
The Ongoing Battle Against Illegal Mining
In response to these events, the Executive Director of the Forest Services Division, Hugh Brown, emphasized the relentless commitment to combating illegal mining within forest reserves. He stressed the need for cooperative, sustained efforts from a variety of stakeholders, including the military, chiefs, police, judicial bodies, media, civil society, and forest fringe communities. This holistic approach, he asserted, is crucial for effectively tackling the pervasive threat posed by illegal mining.
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