The state’s first witness, an officer at the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has disclosed how he led a team to arrest Chinese nationals at a galamsey site in Ashanti region.
Submitting his witness statement to court on Wednesday, Supt Reuben Ransford Aborabora noted that together with 6 other officers stationed at Obuasi they stormed a concession at Bepotenten on May 5, 2017, where they arrested some illegal miners.
“I saw Chinese, Africans and other nationals. I ordered my men to close in on them from different angles. The Chinese and two African nationals took to their heels when the saw my men coming.
” This alerted the other expatriates and African nationals who were were working on the site and they ran into a nearby cocoa farm.
“When my men pursued I got down with the driver and went there. I saw two excavators. On that same side there was a sand washing machine powered by a generator.
” Two other excavators were parked.
In total I saw 6 excavators, 4 of them were in use.” Supt Aborabora told the court.
He added that after scavenging the area, they saw a wooden structure with many rooms, where they arrested two Chinese nationals who were cooking at the time of the bust.
He would later find out that they were working at the site at the behest of Aisha Huang. Supt Aborabora indicated that one of the arrested Chinese nationals, Gao Jin Cheng told him they were working for Aisha Huang after he asked what their mission on the site was.
He added that he took videos and pictures which he tendered in as evidence in the court. Presiding Judge Lydia Marfo asked it to be shown before it was admitted.
Counsel for Aisha, Capt Rtd Effah Dartey during cross examination of the state’s witness asked him whether he had any personal evidence/information against his client to which he answered in the negative.
Justice Lydia Osei Marfo adjourned the trial to November 14 for the Prosecution to call on the second witness to testify.
Source: 3news.com | Ghana
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