Court chases galamsey queen’s sureties

State prosecutors in the trial of Aisha Huang, a Chinese national and her four accomplices at an Accra High Court over their alleged involvement in illegal mining (galamsey) in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, are on the heels of those who stood as sureties for the accused persons.

The five accused persons, who were arrested in Kumasi, were transported to Accra to face trial.

She was granted bail by the court in June 2017 in the sum of GH¢500,000 with two sureties to be justified.

The four others: Gao Jin Cheng, 45; Lu Qi Jun 39; Habin Gao, 26 and Zhang Pen, 23; were also granted bail in the sum of GH?500,000 with one surety each who must be a Ghanaian by birth.

Each surety is to be justified.

The four have, since the grant of bail, been playing hide and seek with the court as they have always come up with one excuse or the other as to why they could not be present for the trial.

The court has since remanded one of them – Gao Jin Cheng, who has repeatedly avoided coming to court without reason.

The prosecution is also making an effort to locate another – Lu Qin Jun whom a bench warrant was issued against for his failure to show up for the trial.

Appearing before the court, presided over by Justice Charles Ekow Baiden yesterday, Chief State Attorney, Mercy Arthur told the court that they are looking for those who stood sureties for the accused persons.

This was after the court refused an application by the prosecution to remand the accused persons into prison custody to facilitate the trial.

The presiding judge pointed out that he is not persuaded by the reasons given by the prosecution.

He told the prosecution that they should serve the notice for forfeiture on the sureties before she brings it to the court.

He said they cannot come asking for a bench warrant when they cannot show that the sureties have been served.

He, therefore, urged them to attempt serving the sureties then the bailiffs would prove no service on the sureties.

Justice Ekow Baiden wondered why getting the sureties was proving difficult as they were made to provide their addresses and phone numbers.

He indicated that investigators ought to investigate the background of sureties, adding that it is the responsibility of public officials to investigate their backgrounds and answer to that.

But Ms. Arthur told the court that they do not have a role to play in the execution of bail.

The judge pointed out that those entrusted with the responsibility to implementing the bail must be called for answers.