Tarkwa court sentences 18-year-old miner to 10 years in prison for stealing mining equipment
In a recent ruling, the Tarkwa Circuit Court handed down a 10-year prison sentence with hard labor to Mohammed Razak, an 18-year-old small-scale miner, for theft. Razak had pleaded guilty to stealing mining equipment valued at GH¢11,990. This was not his first offense, as he had been previously jailed by the same court for a similar crime.
According to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Abraham Ayitey, the complainant, Thomas Tetteh, is a small-scale miner and resident of Wassa Japa. Tetteh owns a mining site where he had stored his equipment after halting operations due to a water shortage. However, when he returned to the site, he discovered that his Changfa diesel engine, pumping machine, and crusher had been stolen.
The prosecution stated that Tetteh made enquiries within the community, leading to Razak’s arrest. Razak claimed to have sold the equipment to a scrap dealer but failed to produce the dealer or retrieve the stolen items when accompanied by police. The court, presided over by Mrs. Hathia Ama Manu, found Razak guilty and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment with hard labor.
