Attorney General files fresh charges against Aisha Huang
Aisha Huang and three others, who are currently being kept in Police custody, were facing the charges of mining without a license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a valid license.
The Attorney General has filed four(4) fresh charges at the High Court, Accra against the remanded Chinese ‘galamsey queen’ Aisha Huang relative to offenses she committed between 2015-2017.
The specific charges according to the new charge sheet filed on Friday, September 16, 2022, are;
Count One: Undertaking a mining operation without a license contrary to section 99(2)(a) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, Act 703 as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act 2019, Act 995.
Count Two: Facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation contrary to section 99 (2)(a) & (3) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, Act 703 as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act 2019, Act 995.
Count Three: Illegal employment of foreign nationals contrary to section 24 of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).
Count Four: Entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry contrary to section 20(4) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573.
Aisha Huang and three others, who are currently being kept in Police custody, were facing the charges of mining without a license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a valid license.
They were denied bail for the second time by the Circuit Court in Accra on September 14, 2022, after they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defense counsel, Captain retired Nkrabea Effah Darteh had impressed on the court to admit his clients to bail however the court presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Appiah upheld the prosecution’s argument to the effect that the granting of bail had the tendency of jeopardizing police investigations.
The Attorney General is expected to take over dockets from the National Security relative to Aisha’s latest offenses after the High Court Criminal Division presided over by Justice Lydia Marfo also denied the accused bail in a virtual court session held on Friday, and adjourned hearing to October 11.
Background
Four Chinese nationals were arrested on May 5, 2017, by officers of the Ghana Immigration Service at Obuasi for engaging in illegal mining.
Upon their arrests, the four Chinese nationals told the arresting officers that they were sent to mine at the site by Aisha Huang and that their passports were with her.
Subsequently, upon investigation and knowledge of her illegal mining activities, En Huang was arrested and arraigned before the High Court in Accra on two charges.
However, on December 19, 2018, the Attorney General entered a nolle prosequi and terminated the trial.
On the same day, the Controller General of the Ghana Immigration Service revoked her permit to remain in Ghana indefinitely and ordered her immediate reparation to China.
