Tarkwa court fines two over stolen diesel
Emmanuel Tawiah, a labourer, and Ibrahim Mohammed, a businessman, both pleaded guilty to charges of stealing and dishonestly receiving. Each was ordered to pay GH¢780 or face a three-month jail sentence in default.
Two men have been fined a combined amount of GH¢1,560 by the Tarkwa District Court for their roles in a diesel theft operation at AngloGold Ashanti’s Iduapriem Mine.
Emmanuel Tawiah, a labourer, and Ibrahim Mohammed, a businessman, both pleaded guilty to charges of stealing and dishonestly receiving. Each was ordered to pay GH¢780 or face a three-month jail sentence in default. The ruling was handed down by Judge Charles Owusu Nsiah.
According to Prosecutor Sergeant Enoch Assan-Donkoh, the mine had been facing frequent diesel thefts, prompting local residents at Mile 7 in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality to form a watchdog group. On January 15, 2025, one of the volunteers, Michael Boamah, spotted Tawiah and another suspect, Arhin (who is currently at large), carrying jerry cans filled with diesel.
Boamah trailed the duo to Mohammed’s home, where he confronted them. Unable to justify their possession of the fuel, the matter was reported to the rest of the committee and the Iduapriem Mine’s police operation team, who assisted in their arrest.
Investigations revealed that Tawiah and Arhin had siphoned diesel from machinery parked at the mine’s Amax Yard and sold it to Mohammed. Both Tawiah and Mohammed were subsequently detained and charged.
This case highlights the role of community vigilance in curbing theft and aiding law enforcement in mining areas where industrial pilfering is increasingly becoming a concern.
