A Wa Circuit Court has fined two Chinese and two Ghanaians a total of 8,000 Ghana cedis for illegally transporting Rosewood.

The convicts, Jian Hua, 38, Luo Da Fa, 30, both Chinese, Mohammed Yusif, a 36-year-old driver in Tema and Issa Bakoro, 30.

The four were arrested by personnel of the Forest Service Division of the Forestry Commission. The suspects were arrested at Halemboi, near Funsi in the Wa East District loading a DAF articulated truck with registration number GR 8259 and a Nissan pick-up with registration GN 4410-13 with 149 logs of the banned species.

The felling of Rosewood has been banned in the northern parts of the country by government to minimize the wanton destruction of the environment.

Presenting facts to the Court Presided over by Mr Forson Agyepong Baah, Prosecutor Pastor Pius Dumba of the Forestry Commission said the convicts were spotted at about 11:40am on June 11 2017 loading the logs of the banned species which had a value of 15,579.96 Cedis.

He added the Wa East District police command at Funsi was alerted about the development leading to the arrest of the four.

At their first appearance, they pleaded guilty to the charge and were granted bail to the sum of GHc10, 000 each, Mr Dumba noted.