Crime & Punishment of Saturday, 14 May 2005

Source: GNA

Abuakwa police mounts search for notorious illegal chainsaw operator

Abuakwa (Ash), May 14, GNA-The Abuakwa police has mounted an intensive search for the arrest of Kofi Ansah, a notorious illegal chainsaw operator at Dotiem in the Ahafo-Ano South district for allegedly burning a tent belonging to the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) E.A. Akonnor, Abuakwa District Police Commander told the GNA that Ansah, who operates his illegal activities in the Tano Offin forest reserve, had a number of illegal chainsaw lumber harvested from the reserve seized by officials of the Division.

He said after all attempts by Ansah to plead with the FSD officials proved unsuccessful, he decided to take vengeance and threatened to burn down their tents but the threats were not taken seriously. According to ASP Akonnor, on January 29, this year at about 2130 hours when the FSD officials had gathered outside conversing, Ansah under the cover of darkness sneaked into one of the tents and set it ablaze.

He said the tent and all belongings worth nine million cedis and cash of 2,050 million cedis got burnt.