Asamankese, Nov. 25, GNA - An Asamankese Circuit court has sentenced seven small-scale mining operators to a month's imprisonment each for illegally

mining for gold on the plantation of Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC) at Kwae in the Kwaebibirem district.

The accused pleaded guilty and were in addition fined two million cedis each or in default serve a year's imprisonment in hard labour. They were Amadu Seidu, Wornu Gborwoko, George Soglo, Alhassan Issah, Afram Charles, Shaibu Issifu and Dery Dagove.

Mr Justice Kofi Akrowiah, the presiding judge in his ruling said the sentences should take effect from October 25 when they first appeared before the court.

He said he was dealing with them leniently because they were first offenders.

Police Superintendent Glover Sowah, prosecuting said, Kwaebibirem District Security Committee had information that some small-scale mining operators had invaded the GOPDC plantation at Kwae.

He said the committee moved to the area on October 18, with some police personnel and found more than 700 people illegally mining for gold and were given three hours to wind up their operations or be arrested.

The prosecution said on October 21, the police backed by personnel of Delta Security, responsible for security at GOPDC went to the site again at about 1.00 a.m. and met about 30 people actively mining for gold and arrested them and after investigations the accused persons were put before court. He said cutlasses, chisels, hammers, torches, rocks and stones believed to contain gold were seized from the miners.