Tarkwa: The Tarkwa District Court One has fined two individuals, Emmanuel Tawiah, a labourer, and Ibrahim Mohammed, a businessman, a total of GHS1,560 for the crimes of stealing and dishonestly receiving.
According to Ghana News Agency, the court, presided over by Mr. Charles Owusu Nsiah, heard that both defendants pleaded guilty. Each was ordered to pay a fine of GHS780 or face a three-month prison sentence in default.
During the proceedings, Police Sergeant Enoch Assan-Donkoh, the prosecutor, explained that the complainant, Gilbert Adom Mensah, is employed by the AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine. Tawiah and Mohammed reside in the Mile 7 area of the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality. The mine has reportedly been plagued by a series of diesel thefts.
The prosecutor further revealed that in response to the thefts, the youth of Mile 7 organized a watchdog committee to patrol the area. On January 15, 2025, at around 2:00 am, committee member Michael Boamah witnessed Tawiah and an accomplice, Arhin, each carrying a jerry can of diesel. Boamah, suspecting the diesel had been stolen, tracked them to Mohammed's residence. There, he confronted the duo, who failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.
Boamah then alerted other members of the committee. With assistance from police operation officers at Iduapriem Mine, the accused were apprehended. The suspects, along with the jerry cans of diesel, were handed over to the police and subsequently re-arrested and detained for investigation.
Sergeant Assan-Donkoh stated that the investigation determined Tawiah and Arhin had conspired to siphon diesel from parked machines at Amax Yard, located within the Iduapriem Mine concession. They then sold the stolen diesel to Mohammed.
