Open your defence: Court orders Aisha Huang as it dismisses Submission of No Case
This follows the dismissal of a Submission of No case filed by Aisha’s lawyers subsequent to the close of the prosecution’s case
A High Court in Accra has ordered a ‘galamsey kingpin’, Aisha Huang to open her defence to the charges of illegal mining levelled against her by the state.
This follows the dismissal of a Submission of No case filed by Aisha’s lawyers subsequent to the close of the prosecution’s case.
Giving her ruling on the application, the trial judge, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, noted first that the prosecution has succeeded in making a prima facie case against the accused.
Also, the court noted that it was evident that illegal mining activities have been undertaken in the said areas alleged and was also true that the accused carried out the mining activities without a licence.
Aisha is currently facing three counts of undertaking illegal mining without a licence facilitating persons to engage in illegal mining and illegal employment of foreign nationals.
The presiding judge thus ordered Aisha Huang to file her witness statements by July 3.
You may recall that on May 3, the accused changed her plea on the fourth count of entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry, convicted on the same and sentencing pending.
On this same day, the prosecution closed its case after calling 11 witnesses.
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.
