The Tarkwa Circuit Court has jailed a small-scale miner for five years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing mining equipment worth GHC13,400.00.
The culprit, Mohammed Razak, aged 18, pleaded guilty to the offence and prayed the court for forgiveness.
Superintendent of Police, Juliana Essel-Dadzie, told the court presided over by Hathia Ama Manu, that the complainant is a small-scale miner who resides at Wassa Japa in the Wassa Amenfi East district with Razak.
She explained that the complainant had a small-scale mining site within the Wassa Japa community but stopped work about a month ago due to shortage of water.
He then dismantled all their mining equipment and kept same on-site with the intent to convey them to a safe place later.
However, the prosecutor continued that when the complainant visited his site the following day, he detected that equipment such as two pairs of crushers; top and down, two pairs of routers, harmers, one pump machine, shovels and woollen blanket all amounting to the tune of GH¢13,400 were stolen.
After conducting his own investigation, the court heard that the complainant arrested Razak, took him to the Wassa Akropong police station where he lodged a case of stealing against him, and then handed him over to the police.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said Razak confirmed to the police that he committed the offence and led them to the Wassa Adiembra community to retrieve the stolen items from a scrap dealer to whom he claimed he sold the mining equipment but was nowhere to be found.
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