A Tarkwa Circuit Court has convicted two Chinese namely Chen Hung aka Labania and Chen Zhil aka Andy, and two Ghanaians, Stephen Arthur and Prince Denis Aidoo, for unlawfully dealing in gold and money laundering.
The court found each of them liable to pay a fine or in default serve prison terms ranging between 10 to 15 years.
The two Chinese are liable to pay a fine of 120,000 penalty units (GH¢1,440.000.00) each or in default serve 15 years each in prison whilst their Ghanaian counterparts were fined 100,000 and 120,000 penalty units (GH¢1,200,000.00 and GH¢1,440, 000) respectively, or in default, serve prison terms of 10 years and 15 years respectively.
Additionally, the court presided over by Her Honour Hathia Ama Manu issued an order to confiscate the 11kg gold which is proceeds of the crime to the state and deposit them with Ministry of Mines and Natural Resources with immediate effect.
The court further ordered the confiscation of the three laptops, chargers, rifles as well as the ammunitions found on the convicts to the state, and also confiscated an amount of GH¢788,736 to the state and make payment of 30% to the Judicial Service, 15% to the Office of the Attorney General and 10% to the National Security.
The amount outstanding is to be paid into the Consolidated Fund and evidence of same must be forwarded to the court by November 17, 2021.
The court also gave Chen Hung one month to regularise her permit to stay in Ghana as it had expired or face immigration proceedings and subsequently directed the Attorney General and Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) to ensure that the orders are carried out.
Chen Hung, Chen Zhili and Stephen Arthur were found to be dealing in gold without licences while Prince Denis Aidoo’s licence had expired.
They were charged with eight (8) counts of conspiracy, to wit buying minerals without licence; buying minerals without licence; abetment, to wit buying minerals without licence; conspiracy, to wit selling minerals without licence; selling minerals without licence; abetment, to wit selling minerals without licence; consipiracy, to wit money laundering; and money laundering.
With the exception of Prince Denis Aidoo who was not charged under counts 7 and 8, the rest were charged on all 8 counts.
The case was conducted by Adelaide Kobiri-Woode (Mrs.) and assisted by Maara Pelpuo, Ewura-Abena Tweneboa Attafuah and Emmanuella Sarah Asmah, all Assistant State Attorneys, at the Takoradi Office of the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice.
The Public Relations Unit of the Attorney General’s Department said in a statement that “it bears reiterating that the conviction of these criminals and more in recent times, epitomises the Attorney General’s commitment to make crime an unattractive enterprise,” adding “on the basis of this commitment, the Attorney General has charged state prosecutors to continue to relentlessly see to the expeditious trial of criminal cases in the country.”