The trial of two Russians and two Ukrainians before an Accra High Court has taken a new twist after the Office of the Attorney General (AG) had changed the charges against the accused persons.
Farid Isaev, Vadim Potokin, Serhii Chepurniy (all engineers) and Genady Rubec were arrested on May 22, 2017, in the Amansie District of the Ashanti Region for engaging in illegal mining.
They were initially put before an Accra Circuit Court but were discharged because the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the matter.
They were subsequently put before an Accra High Court where they were granted bail by Justice Kofi Dorgu in April this year.
Appearing before a criminal division of an Accra High Court, the prosecution led by Mercy Arthur, a senior state attorney, told the court that the Office of the AG wished to substitute the charges levelled against the accused persons.
The four are now facing five charges including refusal to comply with a ‘stop work’ order given by the Inspector of Mines, and disobedience to immigration directives.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court presided over by Justice Ekow Baiden admitted them to bail on terms of their previous bail which was granted in April.
The bail terms include GH¢500,000 each with two sureties for all of them – one must be justified.
The passports of the four are to remain in the custody of the police, while the suspects are to report to the case investigator every Thursday.
They were also to submit a passport size picture of themselves to the court’s registrar for easy identification.
They will reappear on October 15, 2018.
Farid Isaev, Vadim Potokin, Serhii Chepurniy, Genady Rubec are to comply with a ‘stop work’ order given by the Inspector of Mines with which they were issued on May 18, 2017.
They were arrested at the mining site on May 22, 2018, on the orders of the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, during his tour of mining sites in the Ashanti Region.
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