Accra, March 2, GNA - A Circuit Court in Accra on Monday ordered the Police to assemble all witnesses in the case of three Chinese who were busted for transporting and trafficking 10 Chinese girls to engage in the sex trade in Ghana so that trial could begin. The court said it was ready to hear the case on Saturdays, pointing out that it had the caveat of the Chief Justice to sit on Saturdays. It, however, tasked the three Chinese to assist the Police with information on the whereabouts of three of the victims who cannot be traced.

"If you assist the Police to trace the three victims I will grant you bail. The whereabouts of the three victims are of more importance to me than those in the dock," the trial judge Mrs Elizabeth Ankomah said. James Xu Jin, 41, who is believed to be the ring leader and night club operator, Sam Shan Ying, a housewife and Chou Xiu Ying, a night club operator, are facing charges of conspiracy and human trafficking. They have pleaded not guilty and have been remanded into police custody to reappear on March 5.

The audience at the court was thrown into laughter when a Chinese interpreter translated the charges and facts brought against them. Shouts by the court warrant officers "Order, Order" could not stop the audience from laughing. The display by the prosecution of a carved male organ, contraceptives and medicine led to more laughter.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mary Agbozo, the prosecutor, objected to bail application put in by counsel of the accused persons, Mr D.O.K. Johnson. ASP Agbozo contended that because the accused persons were foreign nationals they might abscond. According to her, the Police had not been able to trace the whereabouts of three of the victims and prayed the court to compel the accused persons to assist the Police to trace them.

Mr Johnson prayed the court to grant the accused persons bail because they had cooperated with the police in their investigations. According to him the issues raised by the Police were based on allegations.

The prosecution said the Police had information that some Chinese nationals had trafficked a number of Chinese ladies to Ghana for sexual exploitation. Consequently, on February 14 this year, a group of Police officers from the Criminal Investigations Department led other police personnel to the house of the three accused person at La in Accra. The prosecution said when the police proceeded to the house they rescued seven of the victims, adding that, the whereabouts of three of the victims were unknown. A search conducted in the house revealed condoms, contraceptives, wooden carved male organs and other medications and various sums of money, some of which belonged to the victims.

The Police further impounded a Toyota saloon car with registration number GE 9314 W believed to have been used in transporting the victims for the sex trade. ASP Agbozo said investigations revealed that James and San Shan, a couple, transported the victims from China while Chow sent the victims to their respective clients. The prosecution said one of the victims Tin Tin who could speak English told them that James and San Shan brought them to Ghana and they were paid 150 dollars on their return from the rounds.