Twelve persons, who appeared before the Tarkwa Circuit Court for allegedly causing extensive damage to the railway track between Akyem and Bonsawire in the Western Region, have been granted bail.
Each accused person had a bail in the sum of GH¢400,000, with three sureties each.
They are being charged with conspiracy, undertaking mining operations without a license, and causing unlawful damage, and the court refused to accept their pleas.
Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samuel Ahiaboc, earlier told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu, that the police had completed their investigation, and a duplicate docket had been prepared and forwarded to the Attorney General’s office at Sekondi for study and advice.
The accused persons included Dennis Adom, a driver, Larri Koku, a farmer, Ali Asoma, unemployed, Nurudeen Kobina, a vulcaniser, and Jonathan Ayandor, a pastor.
The rest are Alex Kofi Acquah, Kwame Simon, Isaac Arhin, Lambon Moyisi, Jude Azumah, Yenderi Mombe, and Daniel Combat, all illegal miners.
ASP Ahiaboc said the complainant, Nathaniel Fiifi Henson, was the area manager of the Railways Company Limited at Tarkwa in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.
He said on September 29, 2025, the complainant, accompanied by five witnesses in the case who were workers of the company, made a routine visit to the railway track between Akyem and Bonsawire.
The Prosecution said that after the complainant and the witnesses had walked about four kilometres, they noticed that some intruders had illegally mined various places under the old railway track, and they reported the matter to the police.
ASP Ahiaboc said on September 30, 2025, ASP De-Ben Edem Selassie, the Regional Operation Commander, led a team of police officers from the Western Central Police Command to carry out an operation and arrest the accused persons, who were illegally mining around the inactive old rail.
He said three pumping machines were retrieved, while several chanfan machines were also destroyed during the operation.
On October 1, 2025, Mr Mathias Yevugah, the Regional Crime Officer, in the company of the investigator and three of the accused persons, visited the crime scene.
ASP Ahiaboc said that on-the-spot investigation revealed that illegal mining under the railway track had caused significant damage, creating deep trenches and leaving the track in a precarious state.
The case has been adjourned to November 24, 2025, for continuation.
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