The Human Rights Court in Accra has granted bail to two Chinese nationals, Liang Shao Kong and Qin Cal Yun, accused of illegal gold trading and money laundering.
Each of the accused was granted bail in the sum of GH₵500,000 with two sureties, one of which must be justified.
Their counsel, Nelson Noble Amedewonu(Esq), argued that the accused are not flight risks, as they have a fixed place of abode and operate a functioning company in Ghana.
He highlighted that the accused were initially arrested on September 7, 2024, and had been held in the custody of the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) beyond the constitutionally mandated 48-hour period without being brought to court.
He also noted that charges were initially dropped but the accused were re-arrested and presented before the High Court, a process he described as unfair and a violation of their rights under Article 19 of the Constitution, which presumes innocence until proven guilty.
Mr. Amedewonu urged the court to focus on the substance of the case rather than procedural technicalities, as the High Court judge presiding over the matter is on leave, and the relieving judge refused to grant bail.
Despite opposition from the prosecution, which argued that the accused had family in China and posed a flight risk, the court granted bail, emphasizing that bail is a right under Article 14 and Section 96 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
The Charges
Liang Shao Kong and Qin Cal Yun face six charges:
1. Conspiracy to commit the crime of buying and selling minerals without a license.
2. Buying and selling minerals without a license, contrary to the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
3. Money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044).
Case Background
The case stems from intelligence gathered by the Ministry of National Security in August 2024, alleging that Golden Dream Limited, a company based in Obuasi, was illegally trading in gold.
Undercover agents posed as gold dealers and sold 62.05 grams and 34.17 grams of gold to the accused in two separate transactions totaling GH₵109,929.
Further investigations revealed that Golden Dream Limited had vacated its premises, and the location was occupied by Shengfa Company Limited, a Chinese-owned business involved in excavator rental and sales.
During a search of the premises, authorities discovered 653.20 grams of gold valued at GH₵280,709.17 and cash totaling GH₵968,770.
The accused admitted during interrogation that they were trading in gold without a license and that they operated informally under the premises of Shengfa Company Limited.
The case continues, as the court examines the charges against the accused and the evidence presented by the prosecution.
