Three illicit miners, Mohammed Thoronka an ex-military personnel, Gbessay Kortowa and Ibrahim Konneh were on Tuesday, 21st February 2012 brought to the office of the Across the River Trans-boundary Peace Park an EU funded project for Liberia and Sierra Leone located at 38 Maxwell Khobe Street in Kenema City being arrested for illegal mining.
The three were caught while they were illegally mining gold in the Gola Rainforest National Park in the Faama axis in the Nomo Chiefdom, Kenema District. They caught in possession of three shovels, a locally made short gun and some pieces of short gun cartridges.
They were later handed over to the Kenema Police Division and later charged to court for alleged illicit mining, contrary to Section 18 (2) of Cap 198 as amended by Section 4 of Act No. 46 of 1969. The three were arraigned before Magistrate Alhaji Mohamed Momoh-Jah Stevens at the Kenema Magistrate Court on 22nd February 2012.
This is not the first time people have been arrested for mining illegally in the Gola Rainforest National Park.
According to the Prosecutor, Sergeant 1986 Massaquoi M.K. the three accused persons were caught illegally mining in the Gola Rainforest National Park.
They pleaded guilty to the charge and were sentenced to three months and two weeks imprisonment. The ex-combatant is to appear again for possession of a short gun. The matter was adjourned to 2nd March 2012.
By Saffa Moriba
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