The Attorney General is set to call eight witnesses in its bid to secure a conviction for illegal mining otherwise known as galamsey kingpin, En Huang, aka Aisha Huang, a Chinese national during her trial.
The Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame appearing before an Accra High Court indicated that his Office has as of last Friday, October 7, 2022, filed witness statements for four witness as well as 18 other documents relating to the trial.
He however asked the court for leave to withdraw the four and file all the eight to make the process tidier.
Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, the presiding judge adjourned the case to October 24 , 2022, for case management and further directions in the matter.
The Attorney General has slapped illegal mining kingpin En Huang aka Aisha Huang with four fresh charges for engaging in illegal miming at Bepotenten in Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region without valid licence.
The Chinese national who is often referred to as Galamsey Queen has also been charged for her illegal re-entry into Ghana after her deportation in 2019 and also for illegally employing foreign nationals.
She has been charged with one count od 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.
She has also been charged with another count of 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.
Again, Aisha Huang has been charged with Illegal employment of foreign nationals contrary to section 24 of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573 as well as one count of Entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry contrary to section 20(4) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573.
She was hauled before an Accra High Court today and she pleaded not guilty to all the charges leveled against her.
The court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfor, remanded her into prison custody to reappear on October 11, 2022.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak