Two illegal miners who were caught prospecting for gold on the concession of Goldfields Ghana Limited (GGL), Tarkwa Mine, have been fined a total of GH₵1,420 by the Tarkwa Circuit Court.

Kofi Awuni, a 23-year-old mechanic and Emmanuel Boadu, a 32-year-old welder, pleaded guilty and in default would serve a total of 36 months imprisonment.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah told the court, presided by Mr Justice Obeng Asante that the complainants are security officers of GGL, Tarkwa Mine.

He said at about 01032 hours, on December 23 last year, the security officers of the company were on their normal rounds patrol duty when they spotted the accused persons and two others at large engaging in illegal mining.

Chief Inspector Amponsah said on seeing the security personnel, the accused persons and their accomplices took to their heels but they managed to arrest Awuni and Boadi who had in their possession a shovel, a cutlass and one sack of sand suspected to be bearing gold.

He said the convicts were handed to the police together with the exhibits found on them.

Chief Inspector Amponsah said the exhibits was sent to the GGL laboratory at Tarkwa  and the assay report indicated that the sand had the gold content of 0.04g valued at GH₵ 4,832.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Asante ordered that the gold should be sold and the proceeds paid into the chest of the state.