The Accra High Court has heard that two Chinese nationals, Li Wei Guo and Shi Mei Zhi, allegedly involved in illegal mining operations linked to Aisha Huang, irregularly obtained work and residence permits.
This revelation came as part of an ongoing trial involving three accused persons, including a Ghanaian, Nana Kwame Opoku, also known as Obolo.
Li Wei Guo and Shi Mei Zhi face charges of conspiracy and undertaking mining operations without a license, contrary to Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Act 995. They are also accused of making false representations in obtaining immigration permits, breaching provisions of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).
The court heard that between 2017 and 2018, the two Chinese nationals, assisted by Nana Kwame Opoku, acquired land at Dunkwa Nwinso in the Eastern Region, where they engaged in illegal mining activities. Investigations revealed that their work and residence permits were fraudulently secured, raising further legal concerns about their stay and operations in Ghana.
The case forms part of broader investigations into illegal mining activities associated with Aisha Huang, the “Galamsey Queen.” Huang, recently sentenced to four years in prison for her role in illegal mining and re-entering Ghana after deportation, was linked to several foreign nationals accused of facilitating or participating in galamsey operations across the country.
Cross-examination of the second accused was completed on November 13, with the third accused opening his defense the following day. The trial continues as the state seeks to address the alleged violations of Ghana’s immigration and mining laws.
Member of Parliament for Pru East, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, has urged for the prosecution of the accomplices of the galamsey kingpin Aisha Huang following her sentencing on Monday.
Dr. Donkor emphasized that Aisha Huang did not operate alone but had individuals involved in illegal mining activities with her. He asserted that these accomplices also need to be held accountable and face legal consequences.
“She had accomplices either in officialdom or the boys on the streets. What has happened to them? So we should not be seen to be only targeting foreigners. We should deal with all those who were involved in that crime,” Dr Donkor said.
“If we do that, no country can come and say, why are you jailing our citizens? Because your citizens were part of a syndicate,” he added.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor emphasized that all political figures involved in illegal mining, along with their accomplices, should face legal consequences to serve as a deterrent and contribute to the fight against illegal mining.
This call comes in the wake of Aisha Huang’s conviction on mining offences, where she received a 4-and-a-half-year prison sentence and a fine of GH₵48,000.
Aisha Huang, also known as the ‘galamsey queen,’ was found guilty of undertaking mining operations without a license, facilitating the participation of individuals in illegal mining, illegally employing foreigners, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry.
However, the sentencing has faced criticism from some stakeholders and the public, who believe it does not adequately reflect the environmental damage caused by her illegal mining activities.
Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah clarified that the relatively lenient prison term and fine imposed on Aisha Huang were due to the timeframe of her illegal mining operations. According to Tuah-Yeboah, Aisha Huang was prosecuted for involvement in illegal mining operations between 2015 and 2017, a period before the amendment of the law.
He emphasized that there was no evidence of her engagement in illegal mining after her return to Ghana in 2022, following her initial deportation in 2018.
Tuah-Yeboah pointed out that since Aisha Huang committed the crimes under the old law, the judge adhered to the maximum punishment stipulated by the previous legislation.
“If you have a new law that has reduced the punishment under the old law, use it. But if the old law is lesser than the new law, use the old law; that is the law,” Tuah-Yeboah explained.
But speaking on Newsfile, Dr Donkor said he understood the calls for harsher punishments when it comes to galamsey cases; explaining that “in 2015, the level of galamsey and the damage of galamsey is not what it is today. And therefore it is only right that having seen the increasing level of galamsey and destruction of galamsey, we review our laws.”
In response to the concerns and criticisms regarding the sentence imposed on Aisha Huang, Attorney General Godfred Dame issued a statement on Tuesday, December 5, expressing his intention to appeal the ruling. He agreed with critics who argued that the four-and-a-half-year prison term and GH₵48,000 fine did not align with the gravity of her actions under Act 995.
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has commended the Attorney-General for opting to appeal the lenient sentencing given to Aisha Huang, the Chinese galamsey kingpin.
On Monday, December 4, 2023, an Accra High Court sentenced Aisha Huang to four and a half years in prison along with a fine of GH₵48,000. This verdict has sparked concerns among various stakeholders and citizens who perceive it as too lenient.
Prominent figures such as Inusah Fuseini and Professor Frimpong Boateng have raised questions about why Aisha Huang was prosecuted under the old mining Act instead of the amended Act.
Responding to these concerns, Attorney General Godfred Dame released a statement on Tuesday, December 5, expressing his intention to appeal the ruling in pursuit of more severe penalties.
Martin Kpebu believes that the Attorney General’s decision to appeal will enhance the confidence of the citizenry in the constitution.
“It’s good that the Attorney General is going on appeal, it will strengthen our jurisprudence so that is good. Because let’s not forget that justice emanates from the people so where there is a groundswell of disappointment with the sentence and citizens are asking that why can’t we use the new law, it’s good to test the law,” he said on JoyFM’s Top Story.
The legal practitioner stated that he had been one of the individuals who tested several laws in the Supreme Court, even though many people had doubted his chances of winning.
“There is no harm in trying, so it is good the Attorney General is saying that he is going to go on appeal. That is good. Let’s test the law,” he added.
In response to the Attorney General’s statement, cautioning the public to refrain from making comments that could compromise the efficient administration of justice and undermine the fight against illegal mining, Mr. Kpebu strongly disagreed with this particular aspect of the statement.
He argued that permitting citizens to express their opinions, even when they disagree with certain decisions, ultimately serves democracy better.
“Justice emanates from the people, so sometimes you can have a clear law but where it does not sit well with the citizens, out of the noise the citizens make, we are able to fashion a new law. So, this one it is good,” he added.
Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, clarified the reasons behind the comparatively lenient prison term and fine imposed on Aisha Huang. He explained that Aisha Huang was prosecuted for her involvement in illegal mining operations between 2015 and 2017, a period when the amended law had not been enacted.
Tuah-Yeboah emphasized that there was no evidence of Aisha Huang’s engagement in illegal mining after her return to Ghana in 2022, following her initial deportation in 2018.
“When we arrested her last year [2022], there was no evidence that when she came back to Ghana, she committed illegal mining offenses. We probed into it and we didn’t find any evidence. If there had been, it would have been another matter,” he said.
In response to inquiries regarding why the new law and its corresponding penalties were not applied in sentencing Miss Huang, the Deputy Attorney General clarified that the judge had followed the appropriate sentencing guidelines.
He explained that, as the Chinese national had committed the crimes under the old law, the judge adhered to the maximum punishment stipulated by the previous legislation.
“If you have a new law that has reduced the punishment under the old law, use it. But if the old law is lesser than the new law, use the old law; that is the law,” Tuah-Yeboah explained.
The Deputy Attorney General expressed the Attorney General’s office’s desire for a harsher sentence, citing the minimum sentencing guidelines for foreign nationals. However, he reiterated that the judge had adhered to constitutional provisions and the interpretation act in determining the sentence.
High Court Judge Justice Lydia Osei-Marfo has called for amendments to the Minerals and Mining Act to target chiefs and landowners who provide their lands to illegal miners.
Speaking during the sentencing of Aisha Huang, a Chinese national involved in illegal mining, the judge stressed the need to prosecute not only illegal miners but also those allocating land for such activities.
Aisha Huang received a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence and a GH₵48,000 fine for multiple offenses related to illegal mining.
The judge emphasized the environmental damage caused by such activities and urged stronger measures against those involved.
After Justice Lydia Osei-Marfo delivered her judgment, Miracle Attachey, counsel for the accused Aisha Huang, pleaded with the court to consider leniency based on her compliance with court and security officials since her arrest a year ago.
He argued that imposing a sentence would financially burden the state and proposed a fine and repatriation instead.
However, Director of Public Prosecutions Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa opposed the plea, advocating for the accused to face the maximum jail sentence and a substantial fine.
Justice Osei-Marfo emphasized the environmental damage caused by Aisha Huang’s actions and noted the failure of security officials to conduct due diligence in granting her papers upon her second return.
Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah has provided clarification regarding the comparatively lenient prison sentence and fine handed to Chinese illegal mining kingpin Aisha Huang.
He explained that Aisha Huang was prosecuted for her participation in illegal mining activities between 2015 and 2017, a period predating the passing of the amended law.
Tuah-Yeboah underscored that there is no evidence indicating her involvement in illegal mining subsequent to her return to Ghana in 2022, following her initial deportation in 2018.
This distinction in timelines played a crucial role in the legal proceedings and the sentencing.
“When we arrested her last year [2022], there was no evidence that when she came back to Ghana, she committed illegal mining offenses. We probed into it and we didn’t find any evidence. If there had been, it would have been another matter,” he said.
Mr. Tuah-Yeboah’s clarification comes in response to public scrutiny over the imprisonment of the Chinese national, Aisha Huang, for four and a half years and a GH₵48,000 fine. Some Ghanaians questioned the perceived leniency of the punishment, considering the extensive environmental damage caused by the ‘galamsey’ queen’s operations.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday, the Deputy Attorney General explained that the case was based on evidence collected between 2015 and 2017. He highlighted the prosecution’s reliance on various testimonies, including those from local farmers who claimed that Miss Huang had negotiated with them to use their land for illegal mining.
Mr. Tuah-Yeboah also commended the Ghana Immigration Service for its crucial role in the case. The service had arrested the illegal mining kingpin in 2018, leading to her subsequent deportation. The timeline and the evidence presented during the specified period were key factors in the legal proceedings and the resulting sentence.
“The law is about evidence and not speculation. Aisha Huang’s case was prosecuted based on the evidence that we had between 2015 and 2017. Nothing more, nothing less,” Tuah-Yeboah reiterated.
“If you have a new law that has reduced the punishment under the old law, use it. But if the old law is lesser than the new law, use the old law; that is the law,” Tuah-Yeboah explained.
The Deputy Attorney General expressed the Attorney General’s office’s inclination toward a harsher sentence for Miss Huang, citing the minimum sentencing guidelines applicable to foreign nationals. However, he reiterated that the judge had adhered to constitutional provisions and the interpretation act by applying the appropriate sentencing guidelines.
The Amended Minerals and Mining Act not only increases penalties for illegal mining but also explicitly criminalizes aiding and abetting illegal mining activities and the use of certain equipment for mining in water bodies. It mandates a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 25 years for foreigners engaged in illegal mining, with deportation following their sentence.
Notably, the amended law has been enforced against some Ghanaians. In October 2023, the Tarkwa Circuit Court sentenced twenty-one Ghanaians to a total of 340 years in prison for illegal mining in the Western Region.
The court, presided over by Hathia Ama Manu, also imposed fines totaling GH¢2.52 million, in addition to the jail terms ranging from 15 to 20 years.
Despite their initial pleas of not guilty, the court found them guilty, concluding that the prosecution, led by the Attorney-General’s Office in Sekondi, had sufficiently proven their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Member of Parliament for Tamale-Central, Inusah Fuseini, contends that the nation’s strategy in combating illegal mining reflects a lack of determination to eradicate the menace.
He specifically points to the lenient sentence given to Aisha Huang, a notorious figure in illegal mining, as evidence that the country is not fully committed to putting an end to the problem.
“I think the Aisha Huang case and the conviction and the sentence is another vivid demonstration of our lack of commitment in fighting this canker. The first arrest of Aisha Huang was under a legal regime that imposed or criminalised illegal mining and imposed a sentence that was higher than four and half years,” he said at “JoyNews National Dialogue of Illegal Mining” on December 4.
Mr. Fuseini, a former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, expressed his response to a recent Accra High Court verdict in which the ‘galamsey queen,’ a Chinese national known as En Huang (Aisha Huang), received a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence and a GH₵48,000 fine.
En Huang faced charges related to engaging in mining without a license, facilitating others in illegal mining operations, employing foreigners unlawfully, and entering Ghana despite being prohibited from re-entry.
The ex-minister emphasized that during his tenure at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, it was recognized that the existing sentencing structure was insufficient and lacked the necessary deterrence.
As a result, amendments were made to address this issue. Consequently, Mr. Fuseini argued that the court’s decision to apply the old mining regime was concerning and did not send a strong signal, given the efforts made to strengthen the legal framework during his time in office.
“We seemed to be suggesting that this canker can be tolerated,” he added.
Furthermore, he asserted that environmental crimes, on a global scale, are tantamount to crimes against humanity and should not be justified under the guise of mineral exploitation. To support his argument, he shared a video depicting a woman who experienced a stillbirth, attributing it to the adverse effects of residing in a community affected by illegal mining.
Mr. Fuseini contended that this issue goes beyond mere economic considerations; it poses a direct threat to both our existence and the country’s economy. He emphasized that the ramifications of illegal mining are immeasurable and expose the nation to dangers that cannot be easily quantified.
The former legislator insisted that a more concerted and resolute effort is required to confront this pervasive problem, echoing the determination demonstrated by other nations facing similar challenges.
Notorious Chinese national, En Huang, also known as Aisha Huang, has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison for engaging in illegal mining and re-entering Ghana after being deported. She has also been fined GH¢48,000 and ordered to be deported again after serving her jail term.
The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei-Marfo, found her guilty on the charges of undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, the illegal employment of foreigners, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry.
The court ruled that the state, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Yvonne Atokora Obuobisa, had proven beyond reasonable doubt that Aisha committed the crimes. The court also noted that Aisha contradicted herself in her defence statements in the trial, which lasted for one year and two months.
Aisha, who appeared calm and collected in the dock, wearing a nose mask and a white scarf, was convicted on her own plea on the charge of entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry. She had entered into a Plea Bargaining agreement with the State (office of the Attorney General) on May 3, this year.
During the plea of mitigation, Aisha’s counsel, Miracle Attachey, highlighted her time in custody since October 2022 and requested the court to impose a fine and deportation rather than a custodial sentence. He emphasized the potential financial burden on the state, especially the prison service.
In response, the DPP argued for a maximum custodial sentence and deportation, considering the impact of Aisha’s actions on affected families and witnesses. She stressed that the sentence should reflect the gravity of Aisha’s actions on the people of Ghana and the communities she had adversely affected.
Aisha Huang was accused of being in the thick of affairs of illegal mining, also known as galamsey, especially in the Ashanti Region. She was deported from the country in 2018, after the Attorney General decided to discontinue her trial in which she was accused of engaging in small-scale mining without a licence.
She was said to have snuck back into the country to allegedly engage in the same activities for which she was deported. In October 2022, the Attorney General then decided to prosecute her for the alleged crimes before her deportation and new ones committed since her entry back into the country.
It is the case of the prosecution that Aisha had an illegal mining concession at Bepotenten in the Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region and also operated a mining support services company; she had pleaded not guilty to undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, the illegal employment of foreigners, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry. But on May 3, this year, Aisha pleaded guilty to entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry contrary to section 20(4) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573.
The Accra High Court has scheduled December 4, 2023, as the date for delivering its verdict in the case involving En Huang, also known as Aisha Huang, who stands accused of illegal mining activities.
During the court session, both the defense counsel and the prosecution informed the court that they had submitted their written arguments for consideration.
Aisha Huang is facing charges related to conducting unauthorized mining operations, facilitating the involvement of individuals in illegal mining, and re-entering Ghana after deportation.
She has consistently denied these charges and is currently in custody. The prosecution has identified the complainants as security and intelligence officers.
According to the prosecution, Aisha had gained a reputation for engaging in various small-scale mining activities, commonly known as ‘galamsey,’ throughout the country.
In 2017, Aisha was arrested for a similar offense, but she reportedly managed to leave the country, thus avoiding prosecution. Following her return, she allegedly resumed small-scale mining activities without the required license.
The Accra High Court has set December 4, 2023, as the date for delivering its judgment in the case of En Huang, who is also recognized as Aisha Huang who was arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities.
During proceedings at the court, it was revealed that both the defense counsel and the prosecution had submitted their respective written addresses to the court for consideration.
Aisha Huang is currently facing charges related to her alleged involvement in illegal mining operations without the necessary licenses, her purported facilitation of individuals in engaging in unlawful mining activities, and her re-entry into Ghana following deportation. It is worth noting that Aisha Huang has vehemently denied these charges and is currently in custody.
The state’s argument revolves around the claim that the complainants in this case are security and intelligence officers. The prosecution has emphasized Aisha Huang’s “notoriety” in engaging in a series of small-scale mining activities commonly referred to as ‘galamsey’ throughout the country.Aisha was arrested for a similar offense in 2017. However, she allegedly managed to evade prosecution by leaving the country. Subsequently, it is alleged that upon her return, she resumed small-scale mining activities without obtaining the required licenses.
Accra High Court to deliver judgment in the case of the alleged galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang on October 12, 2023.
Justice Lydia Osei-Marfo presides, ordering the State to file their written address by September 20, 2023, and the defense team by October 11, 2023.
Prosecutors completed cross-examination of Aisha Huang, who faces charges of illegal mining, facilitating illegal mining, and unlawful re-entry into Ghana after deportation.
Aisha denies all charges and remains in custody.
During cross-examination, Aisha denies engaging anyone for illegal mining and refutes owning concealed passports.
“It is not true that I have engaged anybody to engage in illegal mining on my behalf. I swear, I have not engaged four Chinese nationals to work for me.
“It is not true that I took some Chinese Nationals to Bepotenten in Amansie Central, Ashanti Region, to mine for me. I have never engaged in mining activities.”
Prosecution inquires about alleged marriages; Aisha confirms marrying Anthony Fabian in China in 2009, the union lasted five years.
She denies marrying Daniel Oduro Acheampong.
“I did not contract any marriage with Oduro at Oda in July 2018,” she told the court.
Court adjourns the case to August 16, 2023, for mention, complying with legal requirements for adjournments.
Aisha Huang, an alleged illegal miner, claims that she was not informed about the prohibition of re-entry into Ghana after her repatriation.
During a hearing at the Accra High Court, Aisha Huang stated that she could not provide the exact date of her re-entry into Ghana but asserted that it occurred in July 2022.
In opposition to the prosecution led by Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Aisha Huang denied the accusation that, despite her illegal stay in Ghana, she obtained a non-citizen Ghana Card.
“If I knew I was illegally in Ghana, I could not have entered Ghana to apply for a non-citizen Ghana Card,” the accused person said.
During the trial, when the prosecution accused Aisha of being in Ghana to continue her illegal activities, she broke down in tears. However, the trial Judge, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, issued a warning, saying, “Stop the interjection with tears. It does not affect me. I have developed a thick skin over such gestures.”
During further cross-examination, Aisha revealed that when she re-entered Ghana, she applied for both a National Identification Card and a COVID-19 Vaccination Card. She stated that someone accompanied her to a facility where she received her COVID-19 vaccination, but she could not recall the exact date when the prosecution suggested it was April 24, 2022.
After returning to Ghana, Aisha resided in Ahowdwo, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region. She disagreed with the prosecution’s claim that she moved to Tamale in the Northern Region intentionally to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination card while still living in Kumasi. Instead, she explained that she traveled to Tamale in search of someone who owed her money and took the opportunity to get her COVID-19 Vaccination Card.
Aisha refuted the prosecution’s allegation that she applied for a new Ghana Card with the intention of staying in Ghana.
Her lawyer, Miracle Atachi, objected to the tendering of the National Identification Authority (NIA) application through Aisha, arguing that it should be presented by NIA officials instead. However, the trial judge ruled that Aisha had admitted to signing the application form and that her name was on it. Therefore, the form was tendered through Aisha and admitted as evidence.
Aisha informed the court that she had notified NIA officials about a name change and was instructed to go to court to formalize it. However, she expressed uncertainty about the procedure for conducting a name change in court.
The hearing is set to continue on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Aisha is currently facing charges related to illegal mining operations without a license, facilitating illegal mining, and re-entering Ghana despite being prohibited. She has denied these charges and is currently in lawful custody awaiting further proceedings.
The High Court Judge presiding over the galamsey trial of galamsey queen Aisha Huang, Justice Osei Marfo, has warned her against crying in court.
Aisha Huang broke down in court when the Director of Public Prosecution, Yvonne Attakorah Obuobisa, accused her of intentionally returning to Ghana without the Comptroller General’s consent after her deportation for illegal mining offenses.
Aisha Huang informed the court that she was not given any information about when she could return to the country after her deportation, so she made the decision to come back to Ghana after spending several years in China.
With tears welled up in her eyes, she began to cry hysterically in open court but was cut short by Justice Osei Marfo.
“Stop the interjection with the tears. It doesn’t do anything to me. The question is harmless, just answer and go.
“Today should be the last time you’re crying in my court. If you want to cry, cry in prison before you come to my court. If she cries again it is deliberate. So I don’t expect her to cry again,” Justice Lydia Osei Marfo ordered.
The cross examination of Aisha Huang is still ongoing.
A Chinese national, known as Shi Yumeing or Smith, has been remanded by an Accra High Court for allegedly harboring En Huang, the alleged galamsey kingpin, after her repatriation in December 2018.
Shi is accused of renting an accommodation for En Huang, also known as Aisha Huang, in Kumasi when she illegally re-entered Ghana.
Charged with mining without a license and harboring a criminal, Shi pleaded not guilty before Justice Mrs. Lydia Osei Marfo. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 14, 2023.
The prosecution, led by State Attorney Watkins Adamah, stated that Shi was believed to be a former boyfriend of En Huang, who was repatriated from Ghana in 2018 due to her involvement in illegal mining activities. After her repatriation, En Huang was prohibited from entering Ghana without approval from the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service.
Investigations revealed that Shi took control of En Huang’s businesses in Kumasi and maintained regular communication with her after her repatriation. Moreover, during the period between October 2021 and January 2022, Shi engaged in mining operations at Nimbreso in the Ashanti Region without a permit. He reportedly paid GHC100,000 for the parcel of land used for mining but neglected to reclaim the concession after his illegal activities.
On September 2, 2022, En Huang and three other Chinese nationals, Huang Lei, Huang Hai Hua, and Jiang Li Hua, were arrested at a house in Ahodwo, Kumasi. Aisha had entered Ghana through an unauthorized route, disregarding the terms of her repatriation and the approval of the Comptroller-General.
The house in which En Huang was arrested was rented by Shi, who allegedly knowingly allowed her to stay there in defiance of the terms of her repatriation and to evade detection and arrest.
The investigation led to the arrest of Aisha, Huang Lei, Huang Hai Hua, Jiang Li Hua, Shi Mei Zhi, and Li Wei Guo. Aisha and her accomplices were arraigned, and the accomplices have been convicted for mining and immigration-related offenses.
“The accused person (Shi) was wanted in connection with other cases, but he remained in hiding until his arrest in June 2023.
“The accused person, through investigations, was found to be instrumental in the acquisition of forged or irregularly obtained immigration permits for the other five nationals,” the prosecution said.
It said Shi’s immigration status was currently being investigated.
Chinese national, Aisha Huang, widely known as the “Galamsey Queen,” wept in court during cross-examination by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, at an Accra High Court on Tuesday, July 19, 2023.
The trial of Aisha Huang, a Chinese national, has been a focal point in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, commonly referred to as “galamsey.” Her arrest and subsequent court proceedings had drawn intense media attention, sparking discussions about the impact of illegal mining on the environment and the country’s natural resources.
According to a DailyGuide report, the DPP probed the accused about a statement she had given to immigration authorities following the arrest of four Chinese nationals—Qi Jin, Gao Jin Cheng, Habin Gao, and Zhang Zhipeng—at Bepotenten in the Ashanti Region.
Aisha Huang claimed that these individuals were in Ghana to repair her broken excavators, but the prosecution pointed to similar statements where she had allegedly admitted inviting them to work for her.
Though Aisha acknowledged her signature on those statements, she vehemently denied their content and broke down in tears while stating that she had not made such statements during the investigation.
In response to Aisha’s emotional display, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo intervened and expressed her disapproval of witnesses crying in court.
Aisha quickly composed herself upon the judge’s admonishment.
Insisting that she had no knowledge of the statement’s content, Aisha asserted that she had only signed them under duress, fearing she wouldn’t be allowed to leave the police station if she refused.
However, the DPP refuted this claim, pointing out that the individuals mentioned in the statement were not known to the immigration officers at the time of Aisha’s statement in August 2016, implying that she must have provided their names herself.
The DPP further countered Aisha’s claim that she was not a suspect or under any restraint during the investigation, asserting that she had voluntarily given the statement as a free person.
The prosecution also presented evidence that Aisha’s company; Golden Asia Company Limited, possessed six excavators at an illegal mining site.
Although this was confirmed by a prosecution witness, Aisha vehemently denied it and questioned the credibility of the testimony.
During the cross-examination, Aisha also revealed that she operated under two identities; En Huang and Huang Ruixia, with two different dates of birth—November 7, 1987, and July 7, 1975. She justified this by explaining that her parents had given her both names and dates of birth, which she claimed was a common practice in China.
Additionally, she admitted to holding three different passports, each with different names, dates of birth, and places of birth. Aisha explained that one passport was canceled upon her repatriation from Ghana in 2018. When challenged about her dual identities, Aisha maintained that it was a cultural norm in China and suggested that the DPP verify this with the Chinese Embassy.
As the cross-examination proceeded, the DPP questioned the validity of Aisha’s claims and suggested that her possession of two passports might be related to her involvement in illegal activities.
The case was adjourned until July 24 for further cross-examination and the presentation of additional evidence.
Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George, has emphatically stated that the parliamentary minority remains steadfast in their commitment to boycott all parliamentary activities.
The MP explained that until Akufo-Addo and his government halt the persecution of the minority caucus, NDC MPs will continue to be absent on the days any of their members has to go to court.
Sam Nartey George speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM further added that, the NDC does not care about losing parliamentary seats as a result of their absence from the House.
“Akufo-Addo will go down in the history of this country as the worst president and most undemocratic person. And we must resist him at every turn if it means losing 137 seats in Parliament. They should declare the 137 seats vacant and let’s have a by-election. After all, that will bring a lot of development to our 137 constituencies because that is their stalking,” Sam George said.
“The 137 of us have decided and are definite in our minds. We are not going to the chamber any day they take our colleagues to court and persecute them,” he added.
It would be recalled that the minority in parliament agreed to snub parliamentary proceedings whenever an NDC MP went to court. This was in solidarity with Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson who is standing trial for forgery and perjury.
En Huang, also known as Aisha Huang, the alleged kingpin of illegal mining, couldn’t hold back her tears on Tuesday during questioning by the Director of Public Prosecution, Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, regarding her illicit mining activities in Ghana.
During the questioning, Obuobisa highlighted that in Aisha’s statement on August 30, 2016, she admitted to employing the services of four Chinese individuals in Gyaaman, located in the Ashanti Region, to carry out repairs on her six excavators.
“I have not said anything like that. I was asked to sign the various statements so I will be allowed to leave the Police Station. Because I wanted to leave the Police Station, I signed them. In fact, I can swear to that,” Aisah said.
During cross-examination, Aisha became emotional and tearfully expressed her confusion and frustration over the alleged lies being spread about her.
She adamantly denied before the High Court that she had brought the four Chinese nationals from China and employed them in a reclamation exercise.
Aisha also disagreed with the state that in her June 20, 2016, statement, Golden Asian, her company had six excavators whose spare parts were not common and anything they broke down she needed to bring engineers from China to carry out repair works on them.
She also denied that six excavators were located at Bepotenten, adding. “All these are lies; no excavator belongs to me. I do not know what you are talking about.”
The alleged kingpin of illegal mining, Aisha Huang, vehemently denied mentioning Thomas Walenkaki as her partner in her August 30, 2016, statement to the Police. She refuted the claim made by prosecution witness Michael Abotsi that Walenkaki served as her foreman.
The Director of Public Prosecution argued that Aisha had multiple identities. However, Aisha clarified that she possessed two passports, with one of them having been canceled.
Aisha Huang is currently in lawful custody, facing charges of engaging in mining operations without a license, facilitating the involvement of others in illegal mining, and re-entering a prohibited area. She pleaded not guilty to the charges in front of Justice Lydia Osei Marfo.
The court proceedings have been adjourned to July 24, 2023.
En Huang, also known as Aisha Huang, an accused illegal miner, has stated before an Accra High Court that she has never visited Bepotenten in the Ashanti Region to engage in any illegal mining activities.
Furthermore, she has refuted claims of meeting with farm owners to obtain lands for illegal mining operations, asserting that she is not proficient in the Twi language.
“I have never had any conversation in Twi language anywhere,” Aisha is quoted to have said while answering questions under cross-examination by Mrs Yvonne Atakorah Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecution.
Aisha Huang acknowledged being the owner of Aisha Supermarket, located in Ahodwo, Kumasi. She disclosed that her company’s official name was Golden Asia Company Limited, which had objectives encompassing the import and export of general goods as well as mining services. However, she clarified that although mining was listed as part of the company’s objectives, she did not possess a license to engage in mining activities.
En Huang admitted to being a director of the company rather than the secretary. She further revealed that she operated the supermarket from 2013 to 2018 and held the necessary permits to run that business.
Currently, En Huang is on trial for charges including undertaking mining operations without a license, facilitating the involvement of individuals in illegal mining, and re-entering Ghana despite being prohibited.
She has pleaded not guilty, and Justice Lydia Osei Marfo has remanded her into lawful custody. The hearing has been adjourned.
As part of the beginning of her defense before an Accra High Court, En Huang, alias Aisha Huang, the suspected galamsey kingpin, has filed her witness testimony.
En Huang is facing three counts of engaging in mining operations without a license, facilitating the participation of individuals engaged in illicit mining operations, and facilitating the employment of foreigners.
She is also accused of returning to Ghana after being expelled in 2018. But she has denied the accusations levelled against her.
In her five-page witness statement, admitted in evidence, Aisha, however, said: “My company (Golden Asia) did not own or operate a mining site in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.
“I did not engage or employ Gao Jin Cheng, Lu QiJun, Haibin Gao and Zhang Zhipeng to mine or provide mining support service from us or to anyone.
“I say that neither I nor my company, Golden Asia, nor myself have bought any farm or piece of land from prosecution witnesses four, five, six or anyone or own any piece or parcel of land or mining site in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti region.”
Aisha claims that none of the excavators, “chanffans,” or other earth moving equipment purportedly discovered at the locations where the four Chinese nationals were detained was owned or used by her business, Golden Asia.
Two of the aforementioned Chinese nationals, according to Aisha, who was guided in her testimony by her defense team, had their passports with her in Kumasi.
However, Aisha acknowledged that once the four citizens were detained, she checked in with the Ghana Immigration Service to see how she could help.
She explained: “None of the four Chinese nationals is my family member.”
Aisha Huang also denied knowing or visiting any of the mining sites captured in the videos, pictures and maps tendered before the court by some witnesses.
According to Aisha, she also did not engage in any mining or provide any mining support services although they were licensed to do so.
She informed the court that she had lived in Ahodwo, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region from the year 2011 until she was deported in December 2018.
“I say that between the years 2013 and 2018 I operated a supermarket, popularly known as Aisha Supermarket at Ahodwo, Kumasi, having a dominantly Chinese customer base.”
The matter has been adjourned to July 17, 2023, for cross-examination.
Galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang, currently on trial for illegal mining activities, has denied any involvement in mining activities in her witness statement.
Despite being deported in 2018 and returning to Ghana illegally, Huang refutes the charges of engaging in illegal mining, also known as galamsey, without a license.
The state has presented 11 witnesses testifying to Huang’s involvement in illegal mining in the Ashanti Region’s Amansie South District.
However, Huang insists that her firm has never participated in mining activities and lacks a mining license, claiming the evidence presented by the prosecution is false.
In a related development, Huang Lei, Aisha Huang’s son, was convicted and fined GH¢10,800 for overstaying his permit, possessing ammunition without lawful authority, and possessing forged official documents.
Huang Lei had initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty. He was sentenced by Justice Comfort Tasiame and ordered to be deported.
The legal term “nolle prosequi” has gained popularity in recent days as a result of a request made by Dormaahene Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II to the government to use it in the criminal case involving Assin North Member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson.
Government has employed the legal action known as nolle prosequi on four notable occasions in high-profile cases. Nolle prosequi refers to the dismissal or termination of legal proceedings by the Attorney General.
There are two key aspects to nolle prosequi: it applies specifically to criminal cases and must be initiated by the Attorney General before the case concludes.
It is important to note that the filing of nolle prosequi does not automatically result in the complete discharge of the accused, granting them permanent freedom. Nolle prosequi is typically utilized when the Attorney General determines that there is insufficient evidence, witnesses, or other factors to support the prosecution.
In the case involving Quayson, the Dormaahene’s appeal was based on the belief that the trial was unnecessary, particularly considering that the people of Assin North had reelected Quayson as their Member of Parliament despite the Supreme Court’s ruling to terminate his tenure in May.
Certain pro-government voices have strongly rejected the appeal, labeling it as undue interference in the legal process and an attempt to afford special privileges to individuals based on their societal status.
Should the government choose to act on this appeal, it would not be the first time such an application has been made before the courts.
GhanaWeb highlights three prominent cases in which the government of Naana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has utilized nolle prosequi.
OSP vs. Mahama Ayariga
On October 11, 2022, Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, filed a “nolle prosequi” to end the prosecution of Mahama Ayariga, the NDC Member of Parliament for Bawku Central.
Agyebeng said in a statement to the media following his submission, “We entered a nolle prosequi in relation of the second case against Mahama Ayariga and Kenrick Marfo this morning [Monday].
“It’s simple: after I assumed office, we have further scrutinised the docket [and], upon the available evidence, we deem that the republic would be unable to prove its case.
“It would be a complete waste of time if we were to open this case further and go to a length where it will only be dismissed on the submission of no case to answer,” Agyebeng told journalists outside the court.
May 2017 – State vs. NPP Delta Force members
The case against eight individuals linked to the pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) vigilante group, Delta Force, who were accused of forcibly entering the Kumasi Circuit Court to release fellow members on trial, has been dropped by the Attorney General.
During the court proceedings, the prosecutor, ACP Okyere Darko, revealed that the Attorney General at the time, Gloria Akuffo, had directed the police to cease pursuing the case due to insufficient evidence against the defendants.
As a result, the presiding judge, Her Honour Patricia Amponsah, discharged the accused individuals and dismissed the case.
The eight Delta Force members were facing trial for their alleged involvement in the 2017 incident where they stormed the court premises to free thirteen members who were facing charges of conspiracy to assault. The charges stemmed from the destruction of property at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council and the assault of the Regional Security Coordinator, as they opposed his appointment.
State vs. Aisha Huang
Aisha Huang
Then there is the infamous Aisha Huang case in which on December 19, 2018, without giving any reasons, the State Attorney, Mercy Arthur, presented an application for nolle prosequi to the Accra High Court, that was presided over by Justice Charles Ekow Baiden.
Aisha and her compatriots were first arraigned on May 9, 2018 for engaging in illegal small-scale mining at Bepotenten in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.
Aisha Huang was charged with three counts of undertaking small-scale mining operations, contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703); providing mining support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and the illegal employment of foreign nationals, contrary to the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).
It was also alleged that she had granted sexual favours to some top officials and continued to enjoy their support due to threats of blackmail if they attempted to expose her.
In the course of the July 4 episode of Good Morning Ghana, the host of Metro TV’s show, Randy Abbey, weighed in on the discussion surrounding the appeal for nolle prosequi in the case involving James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament for Assin North.
Abbey expressed his curiosity about the controversy surrounding the call made by Dormaahene Oseadeeyo Agyamang Badu II in relation to the case, drawing a parallel to the situation involving Aisha Huang, the Chinese galamsey queen.
He explained that while discussing the nolle prosequi issue with New Patriotic Party MP Sly Tetteh, the mention of Sam Okudzeto and the nolle prosequi reminded him of something.
“Remember the case of Aisha Huang and the nolle prosequi? Considering the detrimental impact of Aisha Huang’s activities on our country, not to mention the fact that the president declared war on galamsey and staked his presidency on it…”
“Yet we were comfortable to file a nolle prosequi on the issue of Aisha Huang and the Senior Minister even went somewhere and suggested the trial won’t solve our economic problems.
He concluded his remarks by stating, “And when a chief appeals for a nolle prosequi in the case of Gyakye Quayson, it seems like chaos is imminent.”
In contrast, Sly Tetteh disagreed, emphasizing that the calls to discontinue the case required stronger justifications than the current argument that Quayson had won a by-election alone.
The Dormaahene’s appeal was based on the belief that the trial of Quayson was unnecessary, especially since the people of Assin North-had reelected him as their Member of Parliament even after his tenure was nullified by the Supreme Court in May.
Some pro-government voices have outrightly rejected the appeal, considering it as unwarranted interference in the legal process and an attempt to grant certain individuals special treatment due to their societal status.
It should be noted that if the government were to consider this request at any point, it wouldn’t be the first time such an application has been presented before the courts.
Ghanaian politician, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby has emphasized the need for the government and its anti-galamsey forces to prioritize honesty in their fight against illegal mining.
He urged the government to direct their efforts towards apprehending the key players involved in the illegal mining operations, rather than solely focusing on the small-scale participants.
As the former chief executive officer of the Volta River Authority, Dr. Wereko-Brobby attributed the persistence of illegal mining to political patronage.
In Dr Wereko-Brobby’s view, the “fight against galamsey must be fought in a very honest way”.
“For example, a few weeks ago, when Prof Frimpong-Boateng’s report became open and he had mentioned certain characters in that report, etc., one of my biggest disappointments was the fact that I heard one of the leading media stations in the fight against galamsey, spend a whole morning show trying to defend the actions of one of the people who had been fingered as being responsible for the damage to our lands”, he noted.
“So, the question I asked myself is: ‘What does the fight against galamsey mean when people’s interests are touched – whether it’s overtly or covertly?’”
“For me, holding the government to account to respect the laws of the country has to be paramount”, Dr Wereko-Brobby noted, adding: “So, we should, as a country, not be focused on arresting the young men who are down doing the illegal mining”.
Instead, he said, the attention should be on the big sponsors of the canker.
“But I’ve never actually heard the fight of galamsey looking for or pushing for or taking any action against the kingpins who finance galamsey”, he said.
“Aisha Huang; we made a lot of noise, what’s happened to Aisha Huang?” he asked.
He said the laws of Ghana are clear-cut that small-scale mining is reserved for Ghanaians, “so who are the Ghanaians who get the licences and invite the Chinese to front for them?”
“Who are the Ghanaians who can afford USD50,000 excavators to support the operations of these people in the pit?” he asked.
“If we are really serious about fighting galamsey, we really ought to go hard against the local kingpins who are fronting and finance the effort”, he said.
The High Courtin Accra has postponed the sentencing of En Huang, also known as Aisha Huang, until the trial for all accusations leveled against her is completed, despite pleading guilty to the allegation of unlawfully entering Ghana.
The galamsey queen was convicted after she changed her plea in the immigration offence she is facing at the High Court to guilty.
She had earlier pleaded not guilty to four counts of undertaking a mining operation without license, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, the illegal employment of foreigners and entering Ghana while she had been prohibited from entry.
But after eight months of trial,Aisha Huang decided to change her plea in the last charge but her plea to counts on illegal mining remain not guilty.
She was arrested in 2022 for re-entering Ghana, engaging in illegal mining despite her deportation in 2018 for a similar offence.
The state in an attempt to prove the four charges have so far presented eleven witnesses consisting of immigration officers, police officers and community leaders to testify against the Galamsey Queen.
The last witness Superintendent of Immigration, Divine Ahumah Ocansey was put to the stand on Tuesday where he testified to the immigration and illegal mining offences of the accused person.
The decision of Aisha Huang to change her plea with respect to the immigration offence, followed the testimony of the eleventh witness. Even though Aisha Huang has been convicted, her sentencing has been deferred until the final determination of the matter.
TESTIMONY ON FALSE MARRIAGE
Superintendent of Immigration, Divine Ahumah Ocansey in his testimony revealed that he was tasked by the Ghana Immigration Service to investigate the immigration status of Aisha Huang when she was arrested in 2017.
During investigations, Superintendent Ocansey indicated that it emerged that Aisha Huang entered the country in May 2010 with a thirty-day visitor’s visa and had been travelling in and out of the country until she obtained a dependent permit on November 25, 2010, as the wife of one Anthony Fabian, a Ghanaian.
According to the witness, upon further checks on the processes leading to the acquisition of her indefinite residence it was discovered that ‘most of the documents supporting her application, like the Ghana Passport Biodata pages of Anthony Fabien and the marriage certificate of her alleged marriage to Anthony Fabian were forged.’
The witness further revealed that the bank account statement belonging to Anthony Fabien which was used to support the accused person’s indefinite residence application was found to be dormant and the said account was opened with the forged Ghanaian passport.
TESTIMONY ON ILLEGAL MINING
Superintendent of Immigration Ocansey indicated in his evidence in chief that his investigation established that the accused was conducting mining operations at Bepotenten where some four Chinese males were arrested in 2017.
He revealed that the four Chinese males during interrogation in 2017 admitted to having been employed by Aisha Huang to work on a mining concession and equipment belonging to her.
TESTIMONY ON IMMIGRATION OFFENCE
On the immigration offence, the witness testified that “the accused was deported on December 19, 2018, and arrived in China on December 20, 2018, and was directed to stay out of the country until any future approval by the comptroller-General”.
The accused is however said to have returned to Ghana in 2022 and investigations into her re-entry commenced on September 9, 2022.
The witness revealed that while Aisha Huang was deported with a passport bearing the name En Huang, she returned with another passport under the name Ruxia Huang. The second passport according to the witness however had no Ghana Visa Permitting her travel to Ghana.
Superintendent of Immigration Ocansey further testified that the “edge of the biodata page of the new passport had been cut and the last page slit meaning it was invalid”.
PROSECUTION CLOSES CASE
The prosecution closed its case after the cross-examination of the eleventh witness and the case has been adjourned to May 25 for a determination of whether prosecution has proved a prima facie case against the accused.
Meanwhile, Aisha Huang and his lawyers are expected to file their submission of no case by May 16 while prosecution is expected to respond by May 24.
En Huang, alias Aisha Huang, has been found guilty of an immigration crime by the High Court in Accra after originally pleading not guilty.
The troubled galamsey boss amended her not guilty plea to guilty on the charge of “Entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry contrary to section 20(4) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573.”
This occurred after she and the State (the Attorney General’s office) entered into a plea bargaining arrangement.
After she changed her plea, the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court, presided over by Her Ladyship Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, found her guilty on Wednesday, May 3. The sentencing for the three remaining charges was postponed until after the trial was finished.
Ms Huang was on September 16, 2022, charged with four counts of undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, the illegal employment of foreigners and entering Ghana while she had been prohibited from re-entry.
In court on Wednesday, the Prosecution led by Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah Yeboah, closed its case after calling 11 witnesses.
The defence has been ordered to file their submission of no case to answer by May 16 while the Prosecution is to respond by May 24.
The case has been adjourned to May 25, 2023.
Evidence in chief
Superintendent Divine Ahumah Ocansey, the 11th and last prosecution witness in the trial testified that the accused forged documents to obtain a residential permit.
According to the witness, an officer of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Huang forged her marriage certificates to acquire permits.
Explaining further, Superintendent Ocansey told the Court that the accused, who is also known as En Huang, was admitted into the country on May 28, 2010, and was granted a 30 days visitor’s visa.
He noted that Aisha travelled in and out of the country on visitor’s visas until she obtained a dependent permit on November 25, 2010, as the wife of Mr Anthony Fabien, a Ghanaian.
The dependent permit, he said, restricted the accused from working in the country but was renewed on April 28, 2015, when she obtained an indefinite residence permit as the wife of Anthony Fabien.
The 11th witness added that En Huang conducted mining operations at Bepotenten where she engaged the services of Lu Qi Jun, Gao Jin Cheng, Habin Gao and Zhang Zhipeng to mine at the mining site where the four Chinese nationals were arrested by the Obuasi GIS District Command on May 5, 2017.
He was discharged after further cross-examination by the defence lawyers led by Miracle Attachey.
Brief facts
Per the brief facts of the case as narrated to the Court by Detective Chief Inspector Frederick Sarpong were that, the Complainants in the case are Security and Intelligence officers based in Accra.
He said, all the accused are Chinese nationals who have gained notoriety in engaging in series of small-scale mining activities known as ‘galamsey’ across the country.
The prosecutor said, during the year 2017, the 1st Accused (Aisha Huang) was arrested for similar offence but managed to sneak out of the country averting prosecution.
Detective Chief Inspector Sarpong said, during the early part of 2022, the 1st Accused sneaked back into the country after having changed the details on her Chinese passport.
The Prosecutor said, the 1st Accused again resumed small-scale mining activities without licence and together with 2nd, 3rd and 4th Accused persons engaged in the sale and the purchase in Accra without valid authority granted as required by the Minerals and Mining Act.
He stated that the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Accused persons are also into the sale of equipment used in illegal mining activities.
They were subsequently arrested upon Intelligence while further investigations have commenced.
In Aisha Huang‘s trial, the prosecution’s eleventh witness claimed that the defendant used forged paperwork to get a residence permit.
Huang allegedly faked her marriage certificates to obtain visas, according to the witness, Superintendent Divine Ahumah Ocansey, an officer of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
Ms. Huang has been accused of conducting a mining operation without a permit, encouraging others to participate in a mining business, hiring foreign nationals without authorization, and entering Ghana despite being barred from doing so.
Superintendent Ocansey told the Court that the accused, who is also known as En Huang, was admitted into the country on May 28, 2010, and was granted a 30 days visitor’s visa.
The witness noted that Aisha travelled in and out of the country on visitor’s visas until she obtained a dependent permit on November 25, 2010, as the wife of Mr Anthony Fabien, a Ghanaian.
The dependent permit, he said, restricted the accused from working in the country but was renewed on April 28, 2015, when she obtained an indefinite residence permit as the wife of Anthony Fabien.
The 11th witness added that En Huang conducted mining operations at Bepotenten where she engaged the services of Lu Qi Jun, Gao Jin Cheng, Habin Gao and Zhang Zhipeng to mine at the mining site where the four Chinese nationals were arrested by the Obuasi GIS District Command on May 5, 2017.
During investigations, the witness explained that Aisha told security officers that she was not mining but rather rendering mine support service to one Aunty Maggie at her concession at Bepotenten, adding; “but this was found to be untrue.”
“Following the arrest of En Huang, the process leading to her acquisition of the indefinite residence permit was reviewed and it was found that most of the documents supporting her application like the Ghana passport biodata pages of Anthony Fabien and the marriage certificate of her alleged marriage to Anthony Fabien were forged.
“The Passport Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Births and Death Registry, Accra, did not have any records on the accused person’s husband, Anthony Fabien,” he added.
Notorious Chinese galamsey queen, Aisha Huang has revealed circumstances that led to her return to the country after she was repatriated.
According to her, one of the reasons was that she had missed her husband, one Kofi Amoah, who was still in the country, hence her return.
“When we asked her why she came into Ghana, she stated that she had missed her husband, whose name she gave as one Prince Amoah, and that she had come to visit him,” the 10th Prosecution Witness told the court.
According to the Criminal High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo that, Aisha Huang, re-entered into Ghana through the Aflao Port after she was repatriated in 2018.
The notorious Chinese galamsey queen according to investigators said she came back to the country because of her husband.
Aisha Huang is facing four charges namely; undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entering.
She has pleaded not guilty and has since been remanded into prisons custody while the trial is ongoing.
In court on Monday, April 17, 2023, an Inspector of the Ghana Police Service, currently seconded to the Ministry of National Security as a Detective, Simon Nyaho, explained to the court how Aisha Huang re-entered the country upon his team’s investigation.
He told the court that on September 6, 2022, his team was tasked to investigate the circumstances under which the accused person re-entered the country and the activities she was engaged in since her re-entry.
“We secured a court order to enable us conduct a further search of the residence of the accused person,” Detective Nyaho told the court as he read his witness statement to the court.
He added that at Aisha Huang’s residence “we found 19 bottles of substances which was later confirmed by the Ghana Standards Authority to be mercury, 200 pieces of AA cartridges and a warehouse containing toiletries, groceries, excavator parts and other Chinese consumables.
“We also took custody of two metal safes earlier retrieved from the residence of the accused person by Officers of the Defence Intelligence.
“I together with my team interrogated the accused person and she stated that she re-entered Ghana through the Aflao Port,” Detective Nyaho told the court.
Detective Nyaho who is the 10th Prosecution Witness in the ongoing trial said “When we asked her why she came into Ghana, she stated that she had missed her husband, whose name she gave as one Prince Amoah, and that she had come to visit him.”
The Witness told the court that after interrogation “we took a statement on caution from the accused person dated 28th September 2022, and with the permission of the court I wish to tender it in evidence.”
He said the two passport were handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service.
Further Investigations
Detective Nyaho said he knew the accused person En Huang also known as Ruixia Huang after she was handed over to his office on September 2, 2022 for further investigation, by the Ghana Immigration Service who had earlier on caused her arrest.
According to him, she was handed over together with the following items; yellow fever vaccination card, COVID 19 vaccination card, Non-Citizen Ghana card application form with its payment receipts, and two passports from the Peoples Republic of China.
“One of the passports had the name En Huang with passport number G39575625,” and “The date of birth on the passport is 7th July 1986, issued in Ningxia, China on 14th January 2010 and it was to expire on 13th January 2020.
“The place of birth indicated in the passport is Nei Mongol. It has a picture of the accused person,” the Witness told the court.
He said “The second passport had the name Ruixia Huang with number EE9994609,” and “The date of birth on the passport is 7th November 1975, issued in Fujian, China on 14th January 2019 and is to expire on 13th January 2029.
“The place of birth indicated in this passport is Fujian. This passport also has a picture of the accused person,” Detective Nyaho noted.
Evidence
The witness while being led by Mercy Arthur, a Principal State Attorney, identified certain documents retrieved during investigations and same were admitted into evidence.
The documents tendered in evidence are a Yellow fever vaccination card bearing the name Huang Ruxia and a non-Citizen Ghana identity card bearing the name En Huang.
A covid 19 vaccination card bearing the name Huang Ruxia and an Application form for a non-citizen identity card also bearing the name En Huang.
Aside from that, Aisha Huang’s three separate ailment receipts bearing the name – Huang En and investigation cautioned statement of the accused person.
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reports that the mouth of the witness was sealed by counsel for Aisha Huang, led by Lawyer Miracle Attachey.
Fresh details regarding how galamsey kingpin Aisha Huang entered the country has emerged.
According to the Criminal High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo that, Aisha Huang, re-entered into Ghana through the Aflao Port after she was repatriated in 2018.
The notorious Chinese galamsey queen according to investigators said she came back to the country because she missed her husband, whose name was given as Prince Amoah.
“When we asked her why she came into Ghana, she stated that she had missed her husband, whose name she gave as one Prince Amoah, and that she had come to visit him,” the 10th Prosecution Witness told the court.
Aisha Huang is facing four charges namely; undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entering.
She has pleaded not guilty and has since been remanded into prisons custody while the trial is ongoing.
In court on Monday, April 17, 2023, an Inspector of the Ghana Police Service, currently seconded to the Ministry of National Security as a Detective, Simon Nyaho, explained to the court how Aisha Huang re-entered the country upon his team’s investigation.
He told the court that on September 6, 2022, his team was tasked to investigate the circumstances under which the accused person re-entered the country and the activities she was engaged in since her re-entry.
“We secured a court order to enable us conduct a further search of the residence of the accused person,” Detective Nyaho told the court as he read his witness statement to the court.
He added that at Aisha Huang’s residence “we found 19 bottles of substances which was later confirmed by the Ghana Standards Authority to be mercury, 200 pieces of AA cartridges and a warehouse containing toiletries, groceries, excavator parts and other Chinese consumables.
“We also took custody of two metal safes earlier retrieved from the residence of the accused person by Officers of the Defence Intelligence.
“I together with my team interrogated the accused person and she stated that she re-entered Ghana through the Aflao Port,” Detective Nyaho told the court.
Detective Nyaho who is the 10th Prosecution Witness in the ongoing trial said “When we asked her why she came into Ghana, she stated that she had missed her husband, whose name she gave as one Prince Amoah, and that she had come to visit him.”
The Witness told the court that after interrogation “we took a statement on caution from the accused person dated 28th September 2022, and with the permission of the court I wish to tender it in evidence.”
He said the two passport were handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service.
Further Investigations
Detective Nyaho said he knew the accused person En Huang also known as Ruixia Huang after she was handed over to his office on September 2, 2022 for further investigation, by the Ghana Immigration Service who had earlier on caused her arrest.
According to him, she was handed over together with the following items; yellow fever vaccination card, COVID 19 vaccination card, Non-Citizen Ghana card application form with its payment receipts, and two passports from the Peoples Republic of China.
“One of the passports had the name En Huang with passport number G39575625,” and “The date of birth on the passport is 7th July 1986, issued in Ningxia, China on 14th January 2010 and it was to expire on 13th January 2020.
“The place of birth indicated in the passport is Nei Mongol. It has a picture of the accused person,” the Witness told the court.
He said “The second passport had the name Ruixia Huang with number EE9994609,” and “The date of birth on the passport is 7th November 1975, issued in Fujian, China on 14th January 2019 and is to expire on 13th January 2029.
“The place of birth indicated in this passport is Fujian. This passport also has a picture of the accused person,” Detective Nyaho noted.
Evidence
The witness while being led by Mercy Arthur, a Principal State Attorney, identified certain documents retrieved during investigations and same were admitted into evidence.
The documents tendered in evidence are a Yellow fever vaccination card bearing the name Huang Ruxia and a non-Citizen Ghana identity card bearing the name En Huang.
A covid 19 vaccination card bearing the name Huang Ruxia and an Application form for a non-citizen identity card also bearing the name En Huang
Aside from that, Aisha Huang’s three separate ailment receipts bearing the name – Huang En and investigation cautioned statement of the accused person.
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reports that the mouth of the witness was sealed by counsel for Aisha Huang, led by Lawyer Miracle Attachey.
Son of Aisha Huang, Huang Lei, has been deported from Ghana after being found guilty by the Accra High Court.
On September 2, 2022, the felon was taken into custody after eight packs of Eley shotgun cartridges, containing about two 250 pieces of ammunition were seized from him.
He was before the court charged with one count of remaining in Ghana after the expiration of his passport and one count of possessing 250 rounds of ammunition without authority.
He had pleaded not guilty before the court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, but later changed his plea to guilty before a relieving judge, Justice Comfort Tasiame, as result of the substantive judge being on her annual leave.
Huang Lei, was subsequently convicted on his own plea of guilty and was sentenced to a fine of GH¢10,800.
The court ordered the Ghana Immigration Service to deport the convict, and he has since been deported to his home country of China.
Meanwhile, two of his accomplices who are standing trial for similar offences are before the court, which has set a date to conduct case management which paves way for the trial.
His counterpart, Huang Haihua, has also been charged with one count of possessing a forged document – a fake residence permit, while Shi Yang, who was initially standing trial with his mother and stepfather has now been charged with one count of possessing a forged residence permit and four counts of possessing ammunition without authority.
He has been charged for being in the possession of 114 rounds of ammunition – 83 live rounds of 9mm ammunition, three live rounds of 8mm ammunition and another 22 live rounds of BB ammunition without authority.
Lucy Ekeleba Blay, counsel for the two, told the court yesterday that she had filed another application for bail on behalf of the accused, who had been remanded into prison custody.
The court, however, said it will not be able to hear the application yesterday and subsequently adjourned the case to March 22, 2023, for the application to be moved.
The sixth prosecution witness in the trial of Aisha Huang stated during his testimony that he sold the accused his farmland along the River Offin for mining.
The witness, Peter Amenya, testified before the trial court under the direction of the prosecution’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, that Aisha Huang had contacted him and his brother-in-law about buying the farmland for her mining company through James Ogbey.
He stated in his main testimony, which was read in the court yesterday, “Aisha then sent a surveyor, whose name I do not know, accompanied by James Ogbey to my farm to take measures of the area.
Ms Huang has been charged with undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, the illegal employment of foreigners and entering Ghana while she had been prohibited from re-entry.
Evidence-in-Chief
After negotiating the price, the witness in his testimony said, Mr Ogbey called the accused person and told her about the size of the land and the price they had agreed on.
He further told the court that the two parties agreed on GH¢ 8,000 per an acre of land, adding: “She asked Obey to bring us to her mining site which was nearby”.
In total, Mr Amenya said he was to be paid GH¢ 22,000 for his two and a half acres of farm.
The accused, he said, gave him an amount of GH¢1,000 as part payment to show her commitment to the purchase of the farmland, adding that the payment was made through Ogbey.
“Two to three weeks after the initial part-payment of GH¢1,000 to me, Mr Ogbey called me to his house and paid me an additional amount of GH¢ 5,000 on behalf of Aisha with the promise that I would be paid the outstanding balance within a short period.
“Prior to the receipt of the GH¢ 5,000, the accused person had cleared everything on my farmland with excavators for mining purposes,” he said.
The witness added that he later heard that Huang had been arrested for indulging in illegal mining and had been deported to China.
Mr Amenya, however, added that since the arrest, nobody had come forward to pay the outstanding amount owed him, together with other farmers.
Cross-examination
During cross-examination, counsel for the accused, Miracle Attachey, asked whether all payments regarding the land were made by James Ogbey.
The witness replied in the affirmative.
He also admitted under cross-examination that he dealt with Mr Ogbey throughout the transaction.
Accused
En Huang has been accused of being deeply involved in illegal mining, commonly called galamsey, especially in the Ashanti Region.
She was deported from the country in 2018 after the state decided to discontinue her trial, in which she was accused of engaging in small-scale mining without a licence.
However, she was said to have sneaked back into the country to allegedly engage in the same activities.
The Attorney-General, then, decided to prosecute her for the alleged crimes before her deportation and new ones committed since her return to the country.
It is the case of the prosecution that Huang had an illegal mining concession at Bepotenten in the Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region and also operated a mining support services company.
She has denied the charges levelled against her and has since been remanded in police custody.
A farmer in the Ashanti Region’s Bepotenten, Peter Amenya has recounted to the High Court in Accra how Chinese galamsey lord Aisha Huang paid him an amount of GHC6000 and cleared “everything” from his farmlands.
Testifying as the 6th Prosecution Witness in the ongoing trial in which the notorious galamsey Queen is standing trial for four charges, Peter Amenya said “the accused person had cleared everything on my farmland with excavators for mining purposes.”
In his witness statement adopted by the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court on Tuesday, March 7, when he mounted the witness box, the witness also told the court how Aisha Huang stormed his farmlands without payment following earlier negotiations.
“I met the accused person sometime in 2017, through James Ogbey, one of her employees,” the Witness said.
“The said James Ogbey contacted me and my brother in-law called Timothy Teye Ali, and informed us that the accused person was interested in purchasing our farmland for her mining business,” he told the court.
The witness said, “Aisha then sent a surveyor, whose name I do not know, accompanied by James Ogbey to my farm to take measurements of the land.
“My farmland shared a boundary with the cocoa and palm plantation of Timothy Teye Ali,” and “The surveyor and James Ogbey took measurements of the farmland of Timothy Teye Ali as well.”
He told the court that, “after negotiating the price, James Ogbey called the accused person and told her about the size of the land and the price we had agreed on being GHS8,000.00 per an acre of land. She asked Ogbey to bring us to her mining site which was nearby.”
Mr Amenya told the court that in total “I was to be paid GHS22,000.00 for my two and a half acres of farm land.”
“Timothy Teye Ali, Boyoo@ Kojo Tia, Moses Teye Ali and I went with Ogbey to meet Aisha at her mining site. She gave each of us an amount of GHS1,000.00 as part payment to show her commitment to the purchase of our farm land. She made the payment through Ogbey,” he told the court.
The farmer said, three weeks “after the initial part-payment of GHS1000.00 to me, Jame Ogbey called me to his house and paid me an additional amount of GHS5,000.00 on behalf of Aisha with the promise that I would be paid the outstanding balance within a short period.”
“Prior to the receipt of the GHS5,000.00 the accused person had cleared everything on my farmland with excavators for mining purposes.”
Aisha Huang has pleaded not guilty to four charges namely undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entering.
She has since been remanded into prisons custody while the trial is ongoing.
In his witness statement adopted by the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court on Tuesday, March 7, when he mounted the witness box, the witness also told the court how Aisha Huang stormed his farmlands without payment following earlier negotiations.
“I met the accused person sometime in 2017, through James Ogbey, one of her employees,” the Witness said.
“The said James Ogbey contacted me and my brother in-law called Timothy Teye Ali, and informed us that the accused person was interested in purchasing our farmland for her mining business,” he told the court.
The witness said, “Aisha then sent a surveyor, whose name I do not know, accompanied by James Ogbey to my farm to take measurements of the land.
“My farmland shared a boundary with the cocoa and palm plantation of Timothy Teye Ali,” and “The surveyor and James Ogbey took measurements of the farmland of Timothy Teye Ali as well.”
Arrest
The 6th Prosecution Witness told the court that he later “heard that the accused person had been arrested for indulging in illegal mining and had been deported to China.”
“Aisha left behind an excavator which was parked at her mining site near my farm,” and that “James Ogbey told me he will sell this excavator as scraps and the money realised will be used to pay all the debts Aisha owed us.”
He told the court that he subsequently “heard the excavator had been cut into pieces and sold as scraps by James Ogbey so I went to where the excavator was located to verify.”
The excavator he said was not there and that “Since the arrest of Aisha, nobody has come forward to pay us our outstanding amount owed us.”
“My brother-in-law Timothy Teye Ali, reported James Ogbey’s conduct to the police for redress and Timothy subsequently sent the case the court.”
Cross-Examination
Under Cross-Examination from lawyers of Aisha Huang led by Miracle Attah-Chey, the witness said he dealt with James Ogbey.
When it was put to him that all payments regarding the land were made to himself and Timothy, he disagreed.
He however agreed with counsel’s suggestion that based on the fact that he dealt with James Ogbey throughout the transaction he approached Ogbey when she defaulted in making payments.
The witness has since been discharged by the High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo.
Minister of Lands and Natural Resource, Samuel Abu Jinapor, is optimistic that the state will be victorious in its case against galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang, whose alleged unlawful activities have destroyed the environment.
For Mr Jinapor, it is imperative the state addresses the case with all the seriousness it deserves so it serves as a signal to other culprits of illegal mining that the government would no longer be dormant in the enforcement of the law.
Speaking to the media, he said “We will prosecute this case with the vigour that it requires so that it will serve as a clear signal in the country that Ghanaian law will be applied and applied to the letter.”
“So let me assure you that prosecution is being waged relentlessly and when it is all said and done we will secure a conviction,” he added.
Aisha Huang (En Huang) is standing trial for her alleged involvement in illegal mining activities after it was found out that she returned to the country despite being repatriated.
Per reports, upon her arrival, she resumed her galamsey activities.
The Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, following reports on her arrival, called for the docket on Aisha Huang from the police to enable his office to prepare a complete docket covering offences from 2018 to the present.
In 2018, the Chinese illegal mining ‘queen’ faced three counts of undertaking small-scale mining operations, contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703); providing mining support services without valid registration from the Minerals Commission, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and illegal employment of foreigners, contrary to the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).
An Accra Circuit Court hearing the case has since September 2022 allowed five witnesses to mount the witness box to testify.
Timothy Teye Ali, a farmer at Sukuumu, Bepotenten, in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region, who was the fifth to appear before the court said Aisha Huang’s activities led to the destruction of River Offin and other water bodies in the Ashanti Region.
Timothy Teye Ali told the court that in 2017, he was contacted by one James Ogbey over his interest in purchasing land to mine gold.
He added that after an assessment of what he had to offer, they came to an agreement on GH¢28,000 as the final charge.
He continued that he was then informed by Ogbey that the accused, Aisha Huang, was on that day elsewhere and for which reason she could not be present with them.
A Chinese national, Aisha Huang, who is currently on trial in Ghana for allegedly conducting mining operations without a permit, was allegedly responsible for the damage of the River Offin, according to a witness in the case.
The witness, Timothy Teye Ali, a farmer at Sukuumu, Bepotenten, in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region, who is the fifth to appear before the court so far, made this known through a written statement read on his behalf in court.
He added that the mining activities of Aisha Huang also led to the destruction of other water bodies in the Ashanti Region, a report by graphic.com.gh has said.
Timothy Teye Ali told the court that in 2017, he was contacted by one James Ogbey over his interest in purchasing land to mine gold.
He added that after an assessment of what he had to offer, they came to an agreement on GH¢28,000 as the final charge.
He continued that he was then informed by Ogbey that the accused, Aisha Huang, was on that day elsewhere and for which reason she could not be present with them.
Timothy added that although they had an agreement for Ogbey to make full payment before the land was released to him, the four-acre farmland was cleared the following morning.
Upon confronting him, Timothy, through his statement that was read by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atokora Obuobisa, said that Ogbey then paid him GH¢3,000, GH¢4,000 and GH¢5,000 as part payments for the land that had already been cleared.
“The accused person continued to work on my land without fully paying me until she was arrested for illegal mining,” his statement said.
Timothy explained further that following Aisha Huang’s arrest in 2017, together with his family members, they went to meet James Obey (Aisha’s foreman), to demand the rest of his money, but he only got the assurance from Ogbey that even if convicted, Aisha Huang’s properties would be enough to be sold off to make up his money for him.
“The galamsey activities of the accused person led to the destruction of the Offin, Nkyingo, Afraso, and Kobri rivers at Sakuumu, Bepotenten,” he added.
Timothy Ali will be cross-examined in court on Wednesday, December 21, 2022.
Aisha Huang (En Huang) is standing trial for being deeply involved in galamsey (illegal mining).
In 2018, she was deported from the country after the state decided to discontinue her trial, in which she was accused of engaging in small-scale mining without a license.
It was later discovered that the Chinese national had found her way back into the country and returned to mining.
On December 19, the son of Chinese galamsey kingpin En Huang, Aisha Huang, will make his second appearance in court.
The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court had remanded Huang Lei, the son of Aisha Huang, to the Nsawam Medium security prison.
He is standing trial together with another Chinese national, Huang Haihua for remaining in Ghana after the expiration of permits, possession of ammunition without lawful authority and possession of forged official documents.
Their lawyer Frank Kumakoh, had accused the prosecution of levelling charges unsustainable by the facts available.
He said he will be presenting a formal bail application before the Court for consideration.
Counsel also informed the court that the accused persons would change their plea on the immigration charges at the next sitting.
But the prosecution led by Hilda Craig on their first appearance on November 24, prayed the Court to commit the accused persons to the Nsawam Medium security prison while the case proceeded.
Justice Lydia Osei Marfo upon hearing the arguments remanded Huang Lei and Huang Haihua into the Nsawam prisons.
The Court also directed the Ghana Prison service to produce the accused persons to the Court on the appointed dates for their trial.
The court also ordered both the prosecution and defence to file all relevant documents for the trial.
The case which was originally adjourned to December 13, 2022, for case management has now been deferred to December 19.
The new lawyers representing Aisha Huang in the ongoing illegal small-scale mining, galamsey, trial have identified that the third witness from the State as part of his witness made some inaccurate comments.
Nana Sarfo Prempeh, the witness had already told the court that Aisha Huang had encroached on the concession of his company, Volta Resources Ltd, to illegally mine submitting a witness statement as well as documents and receipts to that effect.
But during cross-examination, Lead Counsel for the controversial Chinese, Miracle Atta-Chey established that the witness in his earlier statement attempted to cover his operations after presenting an exhibit which indicated that the company of the witness was being investigated for mining without a license by the authorities.
Nana Sarfo Prempeh denied and explained that the situation has been misconstrued.
“The investigators were misconstrued until they met me in person to hear my version. I was called into this case because the accused was being investigated for illegal mining and I was able to assist with evidence against the accused whereby Volta Resources had been a victim of Aisha Huang’s illegal mining,” Prempeh told the Court.
When asked if he had met Aisha Huang before, the witness hesitated before answering that he had met her through her mining activities.
He further explained that after his outfit reported the Chinese national’s illegal mining operations to the IGP, officials were dispatched on different occasions to seize her equipment from the mining concessions.
Find below some of the exchanges between Aisha Huang’s legal team and the State’s witness, as published by Accra-based TV3.
Lawyer: Have you met the accused in person before?
Witness: I’ve met her through her activities. One in October 2017, 4 of her excavators were seized by law enforcement agencies and deposited at the 4th battalion infantry in Kumasi.
In Feb 2016, VR made a complaint to the IGP against illegal activities of Aisha Huang and a team of officers were dispatched all the way from Accra to the concession and seized 2 of her machines.
In Aug 2016, the Ashanti Regional Security (Regsec) undertook an operation and seized her machines. In Jan 2017, the Bekwai district police undertook an operation at the concession of VRL and two of her machines were seized.
Lawyer: I put it to you that the accused person does not own any excavator or mining equipment as alleged by you.
Witness: the accused person has always made an appearance claiming ownership of the seized equipment. Unless the accused can show receipts or evidence to show who ahhe was renting the equipment to use got the illegal mining on the concession.
Because in every instance that VRL caused machines were being used for illegal mining it’s the accused that Media report covering a demonstration by residents at Gyaaman and Bepotenten whereby Ms Aisha Huang is being accused of mining and destroying the farms and drinking water of those residents. And that demonstration was covered by the media.
Lawyer: Have you been present in person all the incidents that you have narrated to this court regarding the alleged seizure of equipment?
Witness: in some instances yes, in others, no. May the court note that VR is a company so the director need not always be there but I myself have been there.
The trial hearing continues on Tuesday, November 29.
The State has preferred fresh charges against three accomplices of En Huang, aka Aisha Huang, alleged illegal miner standing trial for engaging in the illegal act in the country.
The accused persons are: Shi Yang, aka Philip, Li We Guo and Shi Mei Zhi.
They are said to have possessed forged residence permits.
Li We Guo and Shi Mei Zhi,who are partners, are facing a charge of undertaking mining operation without license.
They are said to have undertaken mining operation without license granted by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources at Nwinso, near Nkawkaw in the Eastern in the year 2017.
They have denied the offences.
The court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei- Marfo declined them bail saying they had no social and financial tides within the jurisdiction and likely not to return to face trial when granted bail.
“It is in the interest of justice that they are kept in prison custody pending trial,” the Court held.
It further ordered prosecution to file disclosures and serve same on the accused persons on their lawyers.
The matter has been adjourned to December 14.
Meanwhile, the court has discharged a Vietnamese who was standing trial with the three accused persons on the grounds that her charges were immigration related thus should be tried separately.
Narrating the fact of the case, Mrs Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) said on September 14, 2022, as part of investigations into the case of En Huang, personnel of the Ministry of National Security, Kumasi, received information that the accused persons were dealing in gold.
The prosecution said Officers of the National Security, Kumasi, arrested Shi Yang, aka Philip, and the other accused persons.
They also picked up a Vietnamese national from their residence at Paraku Estates near Daaban, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The prosecution said Shi Yang was the son of Shi Mei Zhi and Li Wei, partner of Shi Mei Zhi.
It said a search conducted at their Paraku Estate Residence produced five payment receipt with a total face value of GHS285,000 issued to Li We Guo.
The prosecution held that the receipt showed that the amount paid was for the purchase of mining concessions, farmlands, groundwork, and transfer of concessions.
The prosecution said the two partners were said to have mined at Nwinso, near Nkawkaw in the year 2017.
Shi Yang is said to be the Director of ShimaBen Ghana Limited, a company which took over En Huang’s Golden Asia Supermarket after her repatriation.
It said during investigation two metal safes, which contained money in several denominations, 19 small containers of mercury in the warehouse of ShemaBen as well as excavator parts and industrial oil were found.
It said all the three persons had residence permits in their passports, but the Ghana Immigration Service found out that they did not issue them.
After representing the Chinese national for five years, Captain Nkrabeah Effah Dartey (rtd), has been sacked by his client Aisha Huang, the embattled illegal smal-scale mining, galamsey, kingpin.
She has since replaced him with two new lawyers in the persons of Miracle Attachey and Hope Agboado.
This was made known by the presiding judge, Lydia Osei Marfo.
It is unclear what may have necessitated this new development.
Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, a former New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP has been legal counsel for the controversial Chinese national since 2018, representing her both at the Circuit and High Courts since Aisha Huang’s first galamsey prosecutions that were eventually discontinued by the state.
Lawyer Effah Dartey also represented Aisha Huang on the new charges bothering on illegal mining and illegal entry into the country; both of which cases are running concurrently at the Circuit and High Courts.
The lawyer has already cross-examined the 1st and 2nd prosecution witnesses and was scheduled to cross-examine the 3rd witness on Monday until the presiding judge made known to the court that new lawyers have taken over the case.
Details are emerging about how Chinese national, infamous for Galamsey activities, began in the country.
The state prosecution’s third witness, a director of a mining prospecting company disclosed at an Accra High court that the 47-year-old started her operations by encroaching on his concession in 2015.
Submitting documents including maps and receipts from the Minerals Commission Nana Sarfo Prempeh told the court that he obtained a permit to undertake prospecting of minerals in areas in the Ashanti Region.
According to Nana Sarfo Prempeh sometime in 2015, Aisha Huang entered his concession and started undertaking mining activities, this he said took a toll on his company and impeded them from carrying out explorations.
The witness further explained that in an attempt to halt the activities of Aisha he wrote letters to the Regional Security Council, filed a complaint with traditional council and the Police headquarters in Accra but all proved futile as the accused continued with her mining operations.
He ultimately filed an injunction at the Bekwai District Court which was granted and the accused was barred from continuing her operations.
“I know the accused person. My knowledge of her bothers her illegal activities at the Volta resources concession. In 2015, she commenced her mining operations at the concession of Volta resources.
“She later moved to another part of our concession at Bepotenten where her Chinese workers were arrested in May 2017
“From that period of 2015-2017, we made all efforts to evict her from the land and stopped her illegal activities which all proved futile.
“I hereby state that her activities were illegal because my company Volta resources limited had been granted a prospecting license so there is no way she could possibly have a mining license over the same piece of land.
“I reported the case of her encroachment and illegal mining to REGSEC and also to the chiefs and traditional leaders of Bekwai. That also proved futile. I wish to tender into evidence a letter dated 3rd June, 2015 from Volta Resources Ltd to REGSEC as proof of our complaints about the encroachment activities of the accused person.
“In February 2016 VRL made a formal complaint at the Police HQ. A team of investigators were assigned but nothing came out of it.
“On April 11, 2017 VRL filed a writ of summons against En Huang at the Bekwai circuit Court. Edward Koranteng was the plaintiff in behalf of VRL against Aisha Huang of Kumasi.
“Volta Resources Ltd also caused to be published in the media the encroachment and devastating effect of the illegal mining activities of the accused person in its concession and the effect on host the communities.
“Letter dated 8th June 2017 with the subj being petition to IGP regarding the land seizure of excavators, machinery and equipment relevant to the case of the republic vs En Huang but nothing came out of it.
The accused person has caused tremendous devastation to the resources of VRL”
The third prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Chinese national, Aisha Huang, has stated that the illegal activities of the accused person badly affected his business.
Nana Kofi Sarfo Prempeh during a sitting at the Accra High Court on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, gave his evidence in chief in a statement which detailed the impact Aisha Huang’s illegal activities have had on his minerals prospecting business.
Nana Prempeh who is the Managing Director of Volta Resources Company Limited said his company in 2013 legally acquired a concession land from Realistic Company Limited for mineral prospecting.
The witness tendered into evidence documents, letters of correspondence and receipts detailing the transaction between his company and Realistic Company Limited as well as approval and permission from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Lands Commission.
The witness said he came to know the accused person through her illegal mining activities which encroached his company’s prospecting concession covering a land mass of 70.82 square kilometers and stretching through communities such as Komamyem, Kromkrom, Bepotenteng, and Nimbreso in the Ashanti Region.
Nana Prempeh said the prospecting activities of his company were rendered ineffective because of the illegal mining activities of the accused person.
He added that various attempts by his company to evict the accused person from the land proved futile.
According to the witness who is also a divisional chief of the Asante Akyem Agogo Traditional Council said his company among other efforts reported the issue to the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) as well as the traditional leadership of the Bekwai Traditional Area.
The witness tendered evidence proof of a letter dated June 3, 2015, and addressed to the REGSEC complaining about the illegal activities of the accused person on his Nimbreso Concession.
Volta Resources according to the witness also filed a court suit on February 11, 2017, at the Bekwai Circuit Court for which the court in April 2017 granted an ex parte injunction against the accused.
The witness also tendered into evidence news publications about the illegal activities of the accused person as well as a letter written to the Inspector General of Police on June 8, 2017, complaining about the failure of some arresting officers to seize equipment used by employees of the accused when they were arrested on in 2017.
“In conclusion, I wish to state that the activities of the accused have caused tremendous damage to Volta Resources,” the witness told the court.
Aisha Huang is facing charges for engaging in mining and the sale of minerals without a license.
She was recently arrested in Ghana following her repatriation in 2018.
Aisha Huang, who is said to have been engaged in illegal mining upon her return to the country, according to the prosecution entered the country using forged documents and identity.
Hearing of the case is scheduled to continue on Monday, November 21, 2022, with the defence counsel expected to cross-examine the prosecution’s third witness.
A superintendent of Immigration has told an Accra High Court that he has no personal information that Aisha Huang was engaged in illegal mining.
Ruben Ransford Aborabora is the Attorney General’s first witness in the trial of the Chinese alleged to be a key architect of illegal mining in the Ashanti Region.
Director of Public Prosecution Yvonne Attakora Obuobisa led the Immigration Officer to testify as the state’s first witness.
Supt. Aborabora told that court that sometime in 2017, he and his men embarked on an operation to arrest persons alleged to be mining illegally at Bepotenten in the Ashanti region.
He told the court that various mining equipment were seen at the site including excavators.
He said one of the arrested Chinese informed him that they were mining for Aisha Huang.
He submitted videos showing the mining equipment and site to the court.
Lawyers for Aisha Huang led by Nkrabeah Effah Dartey then cross-examined the witness.
Mr Dartey questioned him on whether he had on his own verified the allegations by the Chinese or had any independent means of verifying this. This is what transpired.
Question-Even with your compact disk video, you have no personal independent information verified by you against the accused.
Answer: No my lord. I have no personal information.
Question: If Gao jin Chen gave you the wrong information then your source is wrong
Answer: Yes my lord. I only reported on what Gao jin Chem told me. And I forwarded the same in my report.
Question: My lord I have no further questions for a witness who has no personal information.
The case has been adjourned to November 14 for continuation.
The first witness in the case involving Chinese national; Aisha Huang who has been arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), has made his appearance in court.
Supt. Ransford Aborabora of the Ghana Immigration Service; the first witness, told the court that he was part of the enforcement team that first chanced on her illegal activities.
The witness told the court that on May 6, 2017, he led a team to Obuasi, where they stormed a site where galamsey activities were ongoing.
This was during the period that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had placed a ban on the activities of small-scale mining in the country.
Supt. Aborabora told the court that regardless of this, they had received intel to the effect that some people were flouting the directive and had been mining at the said site.
He said that on reaching the location, they were able to arrest four Chinese nationals, one of whom was called Gao Gin.
He also told the court that Gao told them that they were working for Aisha Huang and that their passports were even with her.
The witness added that the team then took videos and pictures as evidence, which he tendered in to the court.
The video, according to GhanaWeb’s reporter, George Ayisi, was played in court.
The defence, in their cross-examination, stated that they did not have any direct evidence that Aisha was involved in galamsey or that she was in charge as alleged by the other Chinese national who was arrested.
The prosecution then concluded its cross-examination for the day.
The trial has been adjourned to November 14, 2022.
However, the lawyer for Aisha Huang, Nkrabea Effah Dartey, appealed for bail for his client but it was again denied, on the same grounds that the accused is a foreigner with no social ties to Ghana.
Background:
Ms. Huang in 2017 was charged for undertaking small-scale mining operations contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
She was also charged with providing mine support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, contrary to Section 59 and 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act; and also charged with illegal employment of foreign nationals (in breach of section 24 of the Immigration Act and regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations).
Her case was however discontinued and she was deported. Her deportation meant the state discontinued the trial against her.
She however found her way back into the country leading to her recent arrest. An Accra Circuit court last week remanded Aisha Huang and three other Chinese nationals into custody to reappear on charges of illegal gold mining and trading.
Her recent arrest is on the same issues of illegal mining.
The State has disclosed it will call 11 witnesses in its criminal case against Chinese galamsey Queen, Aisha Huang.
The first witness is billed to appear before the High Court next Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
The Attorney General brought fresh charges against the acclaimed illegal miner shortly after she was busted in Kumasi by National Security and arraigned in the Accra Circuit Court.
In a virtual arraignment two months ago, the Attorney General’s Department said it was charging Aisha Huang with undertaking a mining operation without a license, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, illegal employment of foreigners, and re-entering Ghana while under prohibition so to do.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atakorah Obuobisa, told the Court on Wednesday that some of the witnesses have audiovisual materials which will be played in the course of their testimonies.
She said all documents the State intends to rely on have also been duly filed and served, and they are ready to proceed to trial.
Lawyer for Aisha Huang, Captain (Rtd.) Nkrabeah Effah Dartey told the court they had indeed received the “voluminous encyclopedic documents they [Prosecution] filed.”
The Court is thus adjourned to November 9, for trial to commence.
The trial of Aisha Huang will begin on the 9th of November 2022, an Accra High Court has ruled. Per this ruling, witnesses in the case will individually be called to be cross-examined in the courtroom.
This follows an order by the court, directing the Attorney Generalto submit the full complement of the evidence it intends to rely on for the prosecution of the accused.
According to the Presiding Judge, Lydia Marfo, the state will call its first witness; Reuben Ransford Aborabora for cross-examination on the 9th of November.
He will subsequently re-appear on 14th November 2022.
Reuben Ransford Aborabora, the second witness; David Essien will appear on the 16th, 17th, and 21st.
The third witness; Nana Safo Prempeh will appear on the 23rd of this month and subsequently on the 28th and 29th.
On the 30th and 1st of December; the fourth witness; Matthew Kwabena Abotsi will have to appear.
In the meantime, Aisha Huang will continue to remain in police custody.
Background:
Ms. Huangin 2017 was charged for undertaking small-scale mining operations contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
She was also charged with providing mine support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, contrary to Section 59 and 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act; and also charged with illegal employment of foreign nationals (in breach of section 24 of the Immigration Act and regulation 18 of the Immigration Regulations).
Her case was however discontinued and she was deported. Her deportation meant the state discontinued the trial against her.
She however found her way back into the country leading to her recent arrest. An Accra Circuit court last week remanded Aisha Huang and three other Chinese nationals into custody to reappear on charges of illegal gold mining and trading.
Her recent arrest is on the same issues of illegal mining.
An Accra High Court has threatened to release four alleged accomplices of En Huang, aka Aisha Huang, an alleged illegal miner, due to the absence of interpreters.
“I will adjourn the case for the last time, if we don’t get these interpreters (Chinese and Vietnamese), I will release the accused persons either conditionally or unconditionally.
“The case is here by adjourned to November 21,” the Court presided over by Mrs Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, said on Tuesday.
The three Chinese have been charged with engaging in small-scale mining without license whiles the Vietnamese is facing a charge of remaining in Ghana after expiration of a permit.
The Chinese accused persons have denied the charges.
The Court, however, could not take the plea of the Vietnamese because there was no Vietnamese interpreter.
When sitting resumed today, the court indicated that it had not been able to secure a Vietnamese interpreter and that the Chinese Interpreter who was in court at the last sitting had also travelled outside the jurisdiction.
The Registrar of the Court said a letter had been written to the Institute of Languages for a Vietnamese interpreter.
The Registrar said the Court had also reached out to the Chinese Interpreter who was out of the jurisdiction and he had agreed to do the interpretation via zoom but failed to answer his calls during sitting.
The Attorney General has taken over the case of En Huang, aka Aisha Huang and three others, before an Accra Circuit Court.
Ms Mercy Arthur, Principal State Attorney, prayed the Circuit Court to give her two weeks as the Office had given the Police further directions to investigate certain aspects of the case after studying it.
According to her, the Police had reached an advanced stage in investigations.
The Principal State Attorney said the State did not take delight in curtailing the rights of accused persons and prayed the court to grant them a short adjournment.
Aisha, aka Ruixia Huang, aged 47, is standing trial with three others namely Huang Jei, John Li Hua and Huaid Hai Hun.
Additionally, Aisha is being held for engaging in mining without license.
They are being held for allegedly engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without valid license.
They have denied all the charges.
Oheneba Adusi Poku, who held the brief of Captain Retired Nkrabeah Effah Dartey for Aisha and two others, prayed the court to admit the accused persons to bail.
The defence counsel said per the statement of the representatives of the AG, it appeared the trial would be delayed and prayed the court to take a second look at the accused persons bail application.
The counsel argued that the accused persons were not in position to interfere with investigations.
Mr Frank Kumakoh, who represented Jei, also repeated his application for bail for his client, saying Jei was a student, and that she only visited a friend at Aisha’s premises when she was picked up.
Mr. Kumakoh held that the charges preferred against the accused persons were not the “actual state of affairs”, and that the court should not use bail as punishment against the accused persons.
“Prosecution is causing delay to punish the accused persons. My Lord, I know your hands are not tied to admit the accused persons to bail. Grant us bail so we can appear before you to defend ourselves.”
The court presided over by Mr Bright Samuel Acquah obliged prosecution and remanded the accused persons into lawful custody to reappear on November 11.
Prosecution’s case was that during the year 2017, Aisha was arrested for similar offences, but she managed to sneak out of the country in 2019, averting prosecution.
It said during the early part of the year 2022, Aisha sneaked back into the country after having changed her details on her Chinese Passport.
Again, prosecution said Aisha allegedly commenced small-scale mining activities without license and together with the rest of the accused persons engaged in the sale and purchase of Minerals in Accra without valid authority granted as required by the Minerals Act.
The prosecution held that Hua, Jei and Hun were also into the sale of equipment used in illegal mining activities allegedly.
It said based on intelligence, the accused persons were picked up.
Lawyer of Aisha Huang, Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, has said his client is engaged in the sale of spare parts contrary to claims that she is engaged in illegal mining (galamsey).
According to him, under no circumstance did his client engage in any activities which involved digging the ground for gold.
He adds that it’s sad that many have tagged her as ‘galamsey kingpin’ among other names.
He said he hopes the court vindicates his client despite the Attorney General’s claim that he has documents and evidence to prove otherwise.
“Aisha Huang is not involved in Galamsey; she sells spare parts for excavators. Aisha Huang has never stood on the lands of Bekwai or anywhere in the Ashanti Region to say she is digging gold. All she does is sell spare parts, but people have called her names, including galamsey kingpin. So let’s see what God will do since the matter is in court. I pray the law will be in the best interest of my client,” he said on Atinka radio during an interview monitored by GhanaWeb.
Speaking on the refusal of the court to grant his client bail, he said if the court fails to grant her continuously, he will go to a higher court for bail.
The Accra Court denied Aisha Huang’s request for bail through her lawyer.
According to the court, she will be in police custody until the case is determined due to the nature of the case and also her being a flight risk.
The case involving Chinese illegal miner, Aisha Huang, has been adjourned to November 2, 2022, for case management.
In court today, October 24, 2022, Deputy Attorney General, Diana Asona Dapaah said her outfit has not been able to file all disclosures in the case.
She however said it is being worked on at the registry.
She requested, from the court, some time to file the processes.
The judge denied the appeal for bail requested by lawyers of Aisha Huang and said until there is an unreasonable delay in the case, he hasn’t changed his mind about the bail decision.
He said he was reliably informed that the Chinese interpreter has travelled out of Ghana and an arrangement was being made for another one.
The judge directed that the Registrar should ensure that a Chinese interpreter is made available at the next sitting and subsequent ones.
He again asked the prosecution to file their second batch of witness statements and serve same on the defence four clear days before the next date.
The Accra High Court, presided by Justice Lydia Marfo, has asked the Attorney General to file its witness statement and serve the accusers in Aisha Huang’s case.
This comes after the Deputy Attorney General told the court he had prepared its witness statement and other relevant documents, which are being filed at the court registry.
Chinese national, Aisha Huang, is in court for her involvement in illegal mining activities (galamsey) in Ghana at the Accra High Court.
At today’s sitting, the Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Tuah Yeboah, asked for an adjournment as all their witness statements and documents were being filed at the court registry.
The judge then asked the attorney to ensure it is filed and the accusers are served to enable case management and pre-trial conference to occur.
The case was therefore adjourned to November 2, 2022.
Meanwhile, Deputy AG Alfred Tuah Yeboah, who spoke to the press after today’s sitting, said the delay was to ensure the right documents are presented.
“We have complied but it wasn’t within time. As we speak, it has been done. Prosecuting a case like what we have at the moment, you need to dot the “I’s” cross the T’s. At the next adjourned date we will definitely be ready to move on,“ he said.
Some residents in the Eastern Region town of Apinamang are intimidated and frustrated as they are being forced out of their homes by illegal miners.
Activities of illegal mining popularly called ‘galamsey’ is beginning to wreak havoc and is threatening the livelihoods of residents.
In the case of Joyce Wowornyo, the ‘galamseyers’ have dug around her house in a bid to take over her land in search of gold.
She lives far in the Apinamang forest and has witnessed the terrible effects of illegal mining firsthand.
The miners offered to buy her out of her land.
“One day, the miners came and asked me to pack out. I refused. So they excavated the land around us. They made a circle round my house. Now my farm land has been destroyed. I put all my energy into it,” Joyce lamented.
The 43-year-old mother of five recounted that her experience with the illegal miners was scary.
“Many times they threatened me. They even told me they had already bought the land from someone. I still didn’t move. Sometimes, I would be cooking in my kitchen and they would digging just in front of me.”
The illegal miners leave the mining pits uncovered
Joyce Wowornyo says she is being threatened by the illegal miners because she refused to sell her land to them.
Touring some illegal mining sites in the area with the Christian Council, JoyNews discovered that Joyce Wowornyo is not alone in the Apinamang forest.
A galamsey site in the Apinamang forest
Many small households are seen abandoned with the lands excavated.
The chief of the area, Osabarima Bibiarawonemere Oware Asare Pinkro III, noted that activities of illegal mining is getting out of hand.
“I am helpless. If you go to check the extent of damage caused by these illegal miners and how they have left the pits uncovered, you will be sad. I will not, and cannot be part of the galamsey activities.
Osabarima Bibiarawonemere Oware Asare Pinkro III
“The streams and all the water bodies have been polluted,” he bemoaned.
Members of the Christian Council of Ghana also visited the area to assess the level of devastation caused by illegal mining as they prepare to take a stand against activities of galamsey.
Houses left abandoned in the Apinamang forest
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has given yet another verbal assurance his government will stop the illegal mining menace.
He was speaking at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi at the start of a four-day tour of the Ashanti region.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has said he is not afraid to hold the so-called powerful people behind illegal small-scale mining, otherwise known as ‘galamsey’, accountable.
According to him, the ongoing trial of alleged ‘galamsey’ kingpin, Aisha Huang, who many have said has connections in high places in government, is a testament to his resolve to curb the menace of illegal small-scale mining.
Speaking in an Adom FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Jinapor added that the fact that the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame, has taken over the case of Aisha Huang shows the seriousness of the government in the fight against ‘galamsey’.
“With all the sincerity and condor that I can marshal out of my being, I’m totally blind to the so-called powerful people. Who are those powerful people?
“Take for example, Aisha Huang. When her issue came up, what most people said was that nothing would happen to her, she would not be prosecuted because she is highly connected to the highest level, she has sex tapes and all that. In the end, we took her to court, and we slapped the most punitive charges against her.
“We are prosecuting her in a very spirited manner. Those of you who understand the country’s laws know that for the Attorney General himself to be prosecuting this matter of Aisha Huang tells you the importance the government places on it,” he said in Twi.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, who is also the Member of Parliament for Damongo, added that the AG has even secured a remand until the determination of the case of Aisha Huang, which means that the alleged ‘galamsey’ kingpin will be in the custody of the police until the court provides its judgement.
Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, remains firm in his resolve to defend the three accomplices of Chinese galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang.
Madam Huang, together with her three accomplices, are currently on trial over their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities.
Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM, Mr Blay noted that his firm has pledged to defend people “who have wrongly been accused of engaging in galamsey,” and hence does not understand the fuss about his decision to represent the accused illegal miners.
“Irrespective of the fact that we support the fight against galamsey, we can’t allow innocent people to go to jail over galamsey, hence, our decision to defend them,” he said. Additionally, he noted that he would be very hurt should President Akufo-Addo ask him to withdraw from defending the three accomplices in Aisha Huang’s case.
“In my law chambers, we have said to ourselves that we will defend those that will be accused wrongfully of doing galamsey,” he stressed.
Asked the Oyerepa FM journalist, Parker-Wilson, if he will be willing to recuse himself from the case should President Akufo-Addo ask him to do so on grounds that defending the accused persons is a compromise on the fight against galamsey, Mr Freddie Blay maintained that his clients were innocent.
He further noted that President Akufo-Addo, as an astute lawyer who is well vexed in the law, will not make such a request, knowing very well that the accused are innocent.
“I’ll be very disturbed (if the President asks me to withdraw from the case). Honestly, I wouldn’t be happy to hear that from the President because of the factors involved.
“He [President Akufo-Addo] respects people’s rights. Nana Addo is a champion of Human Rights at the same time that he is championing galamsey. It doesn’t mean that those who are not even involved should be arrested and looked up in jail,” he said.
“If the fact is that the accused persons are innocent, I don’t believe he will say I shouldn’t defend them.”
Meanwhile, Aisha Huang and her accomplices are still standing trial. They are in police custody, following various failed attempts of their lawyers to secure bail for them.’
While Aisha Huang is being defended in court by Lawyer Effah Dartey, her accomplices are being defended by lawyers from Mr Freddie Blay’s Law firm, including his very own daughter, Lucy Ekeleba Blay.
Opening up about how his firm, Blay and Associates, met his clients, he noted that “these three Chinese came to my office to seek my defence, so I appointed my daughter to handle their case.”
He further defended the decision of his law firm to represent the three accused in court, stressing that “I have committed no wrong by defending the four accomplices of Aisha Huang.”
