Five Chinese nationals and their Ghanaian counterparts, who have been arrested over their alleged involvement in illegal mining, have been remanded to police custody.
The Chinese suspects are Dong Cheng, 30; Hung Jian, 51; Ning Guorui, 42; Yin Biquiang, 46 and Li Zilong, 44.
A Sekondi High Court has set April 10 for re-appearance.
Prior to remanding them, a magistrate court had thrown out the case citing lack of jurisdiction over it. The Chinese were arrested for illegally mining on the Ankobra River in the Western region of Ghana.
According to the magistrate judge, Susana Edufful, her court lacks the capacity to sit on the case.
A police spokesperson whose identity was not given told the Finder in Accra that the miners “claimed the proceeds realized from the illegal operations, had also been transferred to China, their home country, following the transaction with their counterpart”.
“They were busily mining gold in River Ankobra with impunity without any regard to environmental challenges, or legal requirements,” the police spokesperson added.
