The Circuit Court in Accra, presided over by Her Honour Susana Eduful, has granted bail to two men arrested for allegedly engaging in unauthorized gold trading activities in the Central Region.
The accused individuals — Bismark Essuman, a 26-year-old clerk employed by a gold dealer, and Felix Nyarko, a 23-year-old self-described gold fabricator — were brought before the court on charges of conspiracy to commit crime and engaging in gold trade without legal authorization.
During their appearance, both men refrained from entering a plea. The prosecution, led by Jacob M. Kuubal, Esq., informed the court that the pair had been apprehended by law enforcement officers on June 15, 2025, in Aboso Tarkwa, an area widely recognized for its artisanal gold trade and mining activity.
According to the prosecution’s account, the suspects were allegedly involved in the illegal purchase and sale of gold without holding the requisite licenses from the appropriate regulatory bodies.
Their actions, the prosecution argued, constitute breaches under Section 280 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), as well as violations of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2015 (Act 900).
In considering the bail request, the court imposed a GH¢400,000 bail condition for each accused, with four sureties each.
Among the four, two must be individuals with stable salaried employment earning not less than GH¢5,000 monthly, while the remaining two must be biological relatives of the respective accused persons.
The matter has been adjourned to July 30, 2026, with specific instructions from the bench directing the prosecution to ensure that the accused persons respond formally to the charges at the next scheduled hearing.
