For destroying 32 cidrella trees in the Kwamina Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region, for the cultivation of a tomato farm, a 29-year-old farmer of Sabronum has been ordered by the Offinso Circuit Court to plant 2,000 trees of the same species to replace those destroyed.
Kwadwo Aboagye would, in default, pay a fine of GH�5,000 to the Forest Services Division (FSD) for the replanting exercise.
Aboagye, who pleaded guilty to illegally farming in the reserve, will go to prison for two years if he fails to pay the fine. The court imposed on him an additional fine of GH�500 for illegally entering the reserve and he will serve a two-year term in default.
Police Inspector T.K. Tenkorang told the court, presided over by Mr Osei Kwame, that as part of an afforestation programme, the FSD planted cidrella trees in the degraded Kwamisa Forest Reserve in 2004.
A few months ago, a FSD monitory team inspected the reserve and discovered the six illegal farmers, but the owners including the accused, escaped. Following a tip-off, an FSD cum police task force on September 15 arrested Aboagye at his hide-out at Sabronum.
Commenting on the court�s verdict, Mr Stephen A. Duah, Offinso District Manager of FSD, urged the public to discard the notion that the protection and conservation of the country�s forests was the sole responsibility of the FSD.
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