The Bekwai Circuit Court in the Ashanti region has remanded six people into police custody for logging timber in the Dampayaw forest reserve in the Akrofoum District.

This was when they appeared before the court presided over by His Honour Isaac Apeatu on Wednesday.

The six pleaded not guilty to the charge of entering a forest reserve without authority to fell trees, among others.

The suspects are Seth Koli, a 41-year-old timber contractor; Baba Ben, a 24-year-old tractor operator; Narteh Moses, a chainsaw operator aged 29; Inusah Akosom, aged 25; Kwadwo Akwah, aged 43 and Joshua Ahiable aged 25, all labourers.

The prosecutor, Detective Inspector Eric Okyere, told the court that on August 15, 2023, a complainant in the case saw the accused persons logging timber and, with the help of others, arrested them and handed them over to the Bekwai police.

One chainsaw machine, a tractor, and three cutlasses were retrieved from the suspects and are in the custody of the Bekwai police.

The case has been adjourned, with the accused scheduled to reappear in court on September 4, 2023.