Chinese galamsey queen Aisha Huang is expected to face a maximum of 20 years in jail if found guilty of her latest charges.
The galamsey kingpin has pleaded not guilty to two charges at the Circuit Court in Accra on September 14, 2022 and has been remanded into lawful custody.
Aisha Huang and her three accomplices Johng Li Hua, Huang Jei and Huiad Hai Hun all pleaded not guilty to the charge of engaging in sale and purchases of minerals without valid licence, while Ms. Huang separately denied any wrongdoing in the charge of mining without licence.
The court presided over by His Honour Mr. Samuel Bright Acquah while ruling on her bail application said, the accused’s punishment ranges from a minimum fine of 30,000 penalty units equivalent to (GHc360, 000) to 20 years in jail.
The charges of Aisha Huang which are contrary to sections under the Minerals and Mining Act 2015, (Act 900), prescribed a minimum fine of 30,000 penalty units to 300,000 penalty units and a maximum jail term of 20 years, or both fine and imprisonment.
They are to reappear on September 27, 2022.
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 national 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 her 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.
