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Court asks
Defence to prepare addresses
Accra, April 9, Ghanadot/GNA - The
Accra Circuit Court trying the alleged
Chinese human trafficking case on Thursday asked the
Defence to file its addresses if
it had no other witnesses to testify.
This was after both Prosecution and Defence had completed
their cross-examination of Ms Edem,
a witness who together with other
Court officials visited the house of the accused at La -Agyemang.
The trip was to help the court ascertain its own facts about
thealleged trafficking of Chinese girls for prostitution at
the James Garden Restaurant
operated by James Xu Jin.
James Xu Jin, 41, owner of James Garden Restaurant together
with his wife Sham Shan Ying and
Chou Xiu Ying, a nightclub operator are
facing charges of conspiracy and human trafficking.
They have pleaded not guilty and have been remanded into
police custody. They are to
re-appear on April 23.
Ms Edem told the court a search of the accused house showed
there were six rooms, two gas burners, a frying pan
and a tabletop refrigerator.
She said the corridor, which the Xu Jin claimed to be his
restaurant was only decorated with
cane chairs and a centre-table with the
kitchen attached to the main house.
She said neighbours of the accused house who spoke to the
court
claimed there was no restaurant in the house and that they
only saw inmates’ rather carrying
"Take-away" food to the house.
She said the neighbours also alleged that the gate of the
house of
the accused was most of the time closed and only opened to
white men who were visiting.
Mr K.O. Johnson, Counsel for accused however objected to Ms
Edem's assertions and said his client's restaurant
was open to everybody who could
afford.
On February 14 this year, a group of police officers from
the Criminal Investigations
Department led other police personnel to the
house of the accused persons at Agyemang at La in
Accra.
The police rescued seven of the victims, adding that the
whereabouts of three were unknown.
A search conducted in the house revealed condoms,
contraceptives, dummy penises some medications and various
sums of money, some of which
belonged to the victims.
The police further retrieved a Toyota saloon car with
Registration number GE 9314 W
believed to have been used in transporting the
victims for the sex trade.
The vehicle, according to the prosecution, had been
impounded and sent to the police
headquarters.
One of the victims, Tin Tin, said they were paid 150 dollars
on their return from the various
sexual activities.
GNA
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