The Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced an 18-year-old small-scale miner, Mohammed Razak, to 10 years' imprisonment with hard labor for stealing mining equipment worth GH¢11,990.

Mohammed, who was recently sentenced by the same court for a similar offense, pleaded guilty to the charge of theft.

Presenting the facts of the case, the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Abraham Ayitey, told the court, presided over by Hathia Ama Manu, that the complainant, Thomas Tetteh, is a small-scale miner and a resident of Wassa Japa in the Wassa Amenfi East constituency.

He said Tetteh owns a small-scale mining site at Wassa Japa but, one month ago, he halted his mining activities due to a water shortage and dismantled all his mining equipment.

According to the prosecution, Tetteh stored the equipment at his site and planned to transport it to a safer location.

Chief Inspector Ayitey said that the next day, Tetteh went to his site only to discover that his Changfa diesel engine, valued at GH¢8,000, a pumping machine valued at GH¢1,700, and a crusher valued at GH¢3,700 had disappeared.

The prosecutor said Tetteh began making inquiries about the stolen items within the Wassa Japa community, which led to the arrest of Razak.

Tetteh took Razak to the Wassa Akropong police station, reported the matter, and handed him over to the police for investigation.

Chief Inspector Ayitey informed the court that Razak claimed he sold the equipment to a scrap dealer at Wassa Adiembra. However, when the police led him to help retrieve the stolen items, they could not trace the alleged scrap dealer.