Galamsey: Open defence – Court orders Aisha Huang
Galamsey Queen Aisha Huang has been ordered by the court to open her defence in connection with the charges levelled against her regarding her involvement in illegal mining in Ghana.
Ms Huang, who was deported a few years ago, was re-arrested by the Ghanaian authorities after re-entering Ghana.
She has been accused of committing illegal mining offences and has been in the custody of the state.
After the state closed its case against Hunag, her lawyers filed an application of no case.
They argued that the state failed to prove their client had any matter to answer.
The court, however, dismissed the application, saying it had no merit.
The case returns on 5 July 2023.
In September 2022, Attorney General Godfred Dame filed four new charges against the Chinese.
They were in connection with crimes she committed between 2015 and 2017 for which she was arrested and arraigned before the AG filed a nolle prosequoi that resulted in the discontinuation of the case and her subsequent deportation.
The new charges that were filed against Ms Huang on Friday, 16 September 2022, include:
Count One: Undertaking a mining operation without a licence 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.
In May 2017, Aisha Huang became a household name for her notoriety in the galamsey business.
She 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, and 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).
However, the government suddenly discontinued the case and deported her in December 2018.
She is believed to have returned to Ghana through the Togo border to engage in the same illegal business for which she had earlier been arrested and deported.
The Attorney General had said in the past that she would be prosecuted for her previous and current crimes.
In court on Wednesday, 14 September 2022, Ms Hunag's prosecutors told the hearing that she "sneaked out" of Ghana after her first arrest in 2017 and "sneaked" back into the country in "early 2022".
Meanwhile, Ms Huang pleaded not guilty to two charges at the Circuit Court in Accra.
The charges are – mining without a licence and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a valid licence.
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