The Akyem Oda District Magistrate Court has jailed three illegal chainsaw operators 18 months in prison in hard labour for felling trees in a forest reserve.

The convicts, Samuel Owuredu, described by the police as a notorious chainsaw/ wood dealer, Edward Saforo and Ohene George, were convicted on their own plea and would each serve six months.

A fourth suspect is on the run.

Police Chief Inspector Alice Appiakorang told the court presided over by Albert Owusu Annor that a Forestry Commission team led by a range supervisor and the police went to the Oboyow Forest Reserve in the Birim South District and saw that the convicts had already cut two Danta trees.

The team arrested Owuredu, Saforo and George, but Foonye managed to escape.

Ms Dorothy Dampson, the Akyem Oda District Forestry Manager, expressed worry about the alarming rate at which the forest was being depleted.

She appealed to forest fringe communities to co-operate with forest guards to have illegal chainsaw operators arrested, saying “if we do not take action now to protect the forest, sooner than later, the whole place will turn into a desert”.

Ms Dampson hailed the conviction of the illegal chainsaw operators and said it would serve as a deterrent to others.