Chinese arrested over gold mining freed

Police have released four Chinese nationals who had earlier been arrested for their 'suspicious involvement' in gold mining in the region.

County Criminal Investigations Officer Joshua Cheptoo said the four have been released but will have to report to the police station while investigations continue.

The Chinese nationals were arrested on Saturday at Maganyi village in Sabatia Sub County, where residents usually mine gold on small scale and sell it to brokers.

“The four will be charged with their involvement in the illegal mining if our investigations find them culpable,” Mr Cheptoo told journalists at his office in Mbale yesterday. 

The four spent three nights at Mbale police station following their arrest on Saturday by DCI officers following a tipoff from the public.

 Cheptoo said upon their arrest and subsequent interrogation, it was established that they did not have the requisite documentation and permits to conduct mining in the area.

“We have released them; pending investigations and they are to report back to the station until when we will have concluded the investigations. Our investigations will determine whether they will be arraigned in court or not,” he said.