The latest arrest brings to 461 the number of illegal miners arrested so far.

[contextly_sidebar id=”bM2Qzt3hXaN3atJ46RnZQZW3phlGOSEO”]The arrests were made in Western, Ashanti and Eastern Regions, the operational areas of the task-force.

The joint military and police task-force was set up in August, to enforce the ban on illegal mining.

Speaking to Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of Operation Vanguard, Major Gariba Adams Pabi, said the task-force had “made 451 arrests including 61 Chinese, one Nigerian, one Togolese, one Burkinabe and the rest are  Ghanaians.”

“They were in the three regions, that is the Eastern, Western & Ashanti, and they have been handed over to the police and they are at various stages of prosecution, we are still on course and we working seriously.”

36 prosecutions

Major Pabi added that, 12 more illegal miners have been successfully prosecuted, bringing the total number of illegal miners prosecuted and fined or sentenced to 36.

He assured that there will be no compromise on the part of the task-force.

“Our work is to ensure that illegal mining is stopped, so if we get you at an illegal mine site, we will arrest you, confiscate your items hand them over to the police. The rest is with the police and judiciary who will send you to court and then follow up from there.”

“So as at now, we have 36 who have been prosecuted, and the rest who have been sentenced and given days are at various stages of prosecution. Some have been adjourned. In Wassa Amenfi central, four excavators have been confiscated by the state after the sentences. I know in a short while many more will be sentenced.”

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By: Kojo Agyeman/citifmonline.com/Ghana.

The post 61 Chinese arrested by Operation Vanguard task-force appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s director-general for African affairs, Lin Songtian, told a Zambian diplomat in Beijing that China understands and supports actions to crack down on illegal mining, the ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.

The post 31 Chinese detained in Zambia for illegal mining appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Before all the 10 accused persons were granted bail by the Sekondi High Court 1 on May 3, they had all been represented in court, during their 6th appearance, by lawyers; Stephen Alewabah and Erickson Abekah.

[contextly_sidebar id=”POEHFA1axP1jfC7hmtfNaK3mMYFBtzEZ”]However, when the case was called again on May 15, the five Chinese had brought lawyer Constantine Kudzedzi to represent them.

Lawyer Stephen Alewabah was absent in court and one of the five Ghanaians also had lawyer Erickson Abekah representing him.

Four of the accused had no representation in court, forcing the presiding Judge Justice Amoako Asante to adjourn sitting until May 24.

“I was hired to speak on behalf of the five Chinese. That is what I was brought here to do. I was not asked to speak for the other accused persons,” Lawyer Kudzedzi told newsmen.

Lawyer Erickson Abekah also told a journalist that “the third accused [Ghanaian] asked me to stand in for him. I do not know about the four other accused persons. But whatever the case may be, we will have to assist them because they are fellow Ghanaians.”

The four, who were “surprised” by the turn of events, were given a week by the court to look for their representation before the case is called on May 24, 2017.

Eight charges have been levelled against them by the state, represented in this case by Senior State Attorney George Sackey.

Some four witnesses have given their testimony and have since been cross-examined by both counsels. Two other witnesses are yet to be cross-examined.

Presiding Judge Justice Edward Asante has already shown his commitment to seeing the end of the matter when he told the four accused persons to look for their lawyer immediately in order to fast-track hearing of the case.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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