Akyem Swedru April 12, GNA - Kwesi Ansah 30, described by the police as a notorious chainsaw operator was on Wednesday jailed six months in hard labour by the Akyem Swedru Circuit Court.

Ansah, who was convicted on his own plea was said to belong to a group at Akyem Aprokumasi in the Birim South District calling itself "al-queda" and who had been causing considerable damage to the Asuboni Forest Reserve purposely set aside for scientific research. Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Ben Osei Kwadwo told the court that on April 7 at about 0000 hours Mr Thomas Okyere the Akyem Oda District Manager of the Forest Services Division (FSD) had a tip-off that the group had entered the reserve and was sawing economic trees such as bako, sapele and asanfina indiscriminately.

He said a combined team of the Eastern Regional and the District Forestry Task Force with support from soldiers from the Akyem Achiase Jungle Warfare School (JWS) moved into the forest to confront the group. The prosecution said two members of the group managed to escape but Ansah was arrested and handed over to the police.

Before passing sentence, Mr Edward Kwame Bosompem Apenkwah, the presiding judge said though the convict was a first offender he took into consideration the alarming rate at which the forest was being depleted and was giving him a heavy sentence to serve as a deterrent to others.

Meanwhile, Mr Okyere has expressed his gratitude to the prosecution for the swift manner in which the case was disposed off and also to soldiers from the JWS for their assistance to the task force. 12 April 06