Three friends have been granted GH₵100,000 bail with two sureties each by the Nkawie Circuit Court in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region for engaging in illegal mining activities at Atwima-Tetrem.
Fatawu Seidu, 35, a mechanic; Solomon Osei, 40, a barber; and Simon Awindawu, 19, an unemployed youth, pleaded not guilty to the charges and will reappear before the court, presided over by Robert Addo, on May 5, this year.
Police Detective Chief Inspector Ntim Boadu, prosecuting, informed the court that the complainants in the case were police officers.
He explained that on April 8, at about 9:20 a.m., the police received a tip-off that the accused persons were prospecting for gold in the concession of Asanko Gold Mining Company at Tetrem-Aboabo.
Upon arriving at the scene, the police discovered the accused persons in an illegal mining pit.
However, upon noticing the police, the accused attempted to flee, hiding their gold detector machine in the pit. The police were able to arrest them, and in their caution statements, Fatawu and Awindawu admitted to the offense.
Osei, however, denied any involvement, claiming he had only accompanied his friends to observe their work.
After further investigations, the accused were charged and brought before the court.
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