The Nkroful District Court has sentenced Ofori Annor, a rubber tapper, to three years’ imprisonment for poaching in the Ankasa Conservation Area, a wildlife protected area in the Western Region.
Ofori Annor, a 48-year-old resident of Elubo, pleaded guilty and was convicted on his own plea.
The convict was apprehended by park patrol rangers during a routine law enforcement and anti-poaching operation within the protected area and subsequently arraigned before the court.
He was charged for unauthorized entry into Wildlife Protected Area, possession of a weapon and explosives in a Wildlife Protect Area, and hunting of wild animals in a Wildlife Protected Area contrary to sections 10 (1), 11 (1)(a), 36 (1)(b), 11 (1)(b), and 19 (4) of the Wildlife Resources Management Act 2023, (Act) 1115.
The court presided over by Her Ladyship Awo Amissah French found him guilty on all three counts and convicted him.
Bona Kyiire, the Park Manager, Ankasa Conservation Area, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, hailed the conviction and said it was a significant victory for the conservation authorities.
He said they had intensified patrols to curb illegal hunting and safeguard biodiversity in Ankasa.
The Park Manager commended the rangers for their vigilance and professionalism, noting that the arrest and conviction sent a strong message to offenders that wildlife crimes would not go unpunished.
The Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission reiterated its commitment to protecting Ghana’s natural heritage, and that the preservation of Ankasa’s unique ecosystem was vital for future generations, Mr Kyiire added.
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