Galamsey: Dr. Otchere-Ankrah Wonders Why Chinese Offenders Are Repatriated
Governance Lecturer, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has expressed worry over the extradition of foreigners arrested for engaging in illegal mining, popularly called galamsey.
Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah wondered why the foriegners are sent back to their home countries while local offenders are jailed.
He said this while commenting on the jail term handed to three Ghanaian illegal miners by the court.
The three convicts; Joseph Donkor, Joseph Paul and Charles Ewusi were each jailed 15 years on two counts of mining without licence and conspiracy to commit crime, a Daily Graphic publication indicated.
In total, the three culprits are to serve 45 years imprisonment and also fined GHc 720,000.
Meanwhile, Chinese illegal miners, when arrested, are extradited to their country instead of they facing a a jail sentence.
Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Dr. Otchere-Ankrah questioned the logic in repatriating the foreigners who commit acts of illegality in Ghana.
He explained that there is no way a Ghanaian can go to a foreign country like China and engage in illegal mining or anything illegal but the Chinese are given the freedom to undertake illegal activities and when arrested too, are sent back to their country.
He called for an equal punishment for both locals and foreigners.
Dr. Otchere-Ankrah wondered why the laws of Ghana are not enforced on the Chinese and any other foreigner who commits a crime.
''When it happens that way, then we are not ruling. Let the law deal with everybody accordingly," he said.
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