Three Russians and a Ukrainian arrested at Tontokrom in the Ashanti Region for allegedly flouting the nation’s mining laws, have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and undertaking small-scale mining without licence.
The four, who spoke through an interpreter pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared in court.
During the court appearance on Wednesday, their Lawyer, Emmanuel Darko, prayed the court to grant them bail with the excuse that three of them were sick.
However, the court presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh, remanded them in custody, and adjourned the case to June 14, 2017, to rule on the bail application.
The four, who are managers of Geo professional Services, were said to have mined about 500 acres of land instead of 75 acres originally given them by the Lands Commission at Tontokrom in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.
Their arrest was ordered by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, during his tour of mining sites in the region.
The mining company was issued with the “stop work order” by the Inspection Directorate of the Minerals Commission on May 18, but disregarded the directives and continued mining.
Although they had a small scale mining license, Mr. Amewu, in an exchange of words with the foreign miners, retorted that “what you are doing here has nothing to do with the small scale. You are destroying the environment and polluting the water bodies.”
“Just behind your door, you saw the pollution of the water bodies and this is clearly a concession meant for small scale mining. You are engaged in this as foreigners; but I don’t think this will happen in your country,” Mr. Amewu said.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
