Timber contractor jailed for operating illegally
The Effiduase Magistrate Court, presided over by Mr Jacob Amponsah, has sentenced a 65-year-old timber contractor, Elvis Kwadwo Okyere, to six months’ imprisonment for operating and harvesting timber without a valid timber utilisation contract.
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He was also charged for removing forest products without authority from a competent authority.
Okyere pleaded guilty with explanation.
The sentece was based on the fact that Okyere was advanced in age and had a deteriorating health condition.
“Due to your age and your current health condition, I am giving you the minimum jail sentence that is commensurate with the offence,” declared the district magistrate.
According to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Ebenezer Sam, in 2001, Okyere acquired a timber utilisation permit from the Kumawu Forestry Division for 10 years.
He said Okyere, who operated around the Asokore and Ahinsan area, used the permit until it expired in 2010 but refused to renew it.
He, however, continued harvesting and conveying timber from the area.
The prosecutor said the forestry officers gave him several verbal and written warnings, but he continued with his illegal activities.
According to Chief Inspector Sam, on January 30, this year, Okyere and his workers went to the Ahinsan forest and harvested eight Cieba timber logs valued at Gh¢3,500 and prepared them to be transferred to Kumasi.
On February 5, 2014, the prosecutor said forestry officers from the Kumawu office on patrol at Ahinsan detected that someone had illegally felled the trees and had loaded three of them on a trailer vehicle.
A report was made to the Asokore police, who, after investigations, arrested Okyere, who in his caution statement admitted to the offence.
The prosecutor continued that after the arrest, Okyere was granted bail and was warned not to convey the timber from the location to Kumasi, but with the help of his workers, he loaded three other logs which were also intercepted by the forestry officers.
Another report was made to the police and after investigations, Okyere was brought before the court for prosecution.