Two Chinese nationals accused of dealing in gold without a license at Obuasi have been admitted to bail by an Accra High Court (Human Rights Division).
Liang Shao Kong and Qin Cal Yun, also accused of engaging in money laundering, were admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢500,000 with two sureties, one to be justified.
The accused persons were arrested by officials of the Ministry of National Security.
They had earlier been put before an Accra High Court, which, however, turned down their bail application.
Their counsel formally filed a bail application again before the Human Rights Court.
The two accused persons have been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, two counts of buying and selling minerals without a license, and two counts of money laundering.
They were represented by Nelson Noble Amedewornu, while the state was represented by Amanda Awadey.
The brief facts of the case, as seen by the GNA, are that sometime in August 2024, the Ministry of National Security gathered intelligence indicating that Golden Dream Limited, a company based in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, was allegedly trading in precious minerals without a license.
Per the intelligence received, the company, primarily engaged in the rental of excavators, was allegedly dealing in gold without a license.
On August 2, 2024, a team of undercover agents proceeded to the said location and met the accused persons, Liang Shao Kong and Qin Cal Yun. The team posed as gold dealers and sold 62.05 grams of gold to them. On August 6, 2024, the team sold another 34.17 grams of gold to the suspects.
The total value of gold in both transactions was GH¢109,929.00. On September 17, 2024, operatives of the Ministry of National Security conducted an operation in Obuasi, targeting Golden Dream Limited.
However, it emerged that Golden Dream Limited had moved out of the building they initially occupied. The company now occupying the building was Shengfa Company Limited, a Chinese-owned business dealing in excavator rental and sales.
A search of the premises revealed 653.20 grams of gold, valued at GH¢280,709.17, and cash amounting to GH¢968,770.
The accused persons were arrested on the same day, and caution statements were obtained from them. They admitted trading in gold but were unable to produce a license issued for that purpose by the Minister.
They further informed the police that they did not have a registered business but operated from the premises of Shengfa Company Limited.
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