In a recent development, En Huang, the Chinese national widely known as Aisha Huang, has been handed a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence in Ghana for her involvement in illegal mining.
The Accra High Court’s Criminal Division, under the jurisdiction of Justice Lydia Osei-Marfo, delivered the verdict, also imposing a GH¢48,000 fine on Huang, who is slated for deportation upon completing her jail term.
Justice Osei-Marfo found Aisha Huang guilty on multiple charges, including conducting mining operations without a license, facilitating the engagement of individuals in illicit mining activities, and the unlawful employment of foreign nationals.
Additionally, she pleaded guilty to the charge of re-entering Ghana while being prohibited.
The court’s decision rested on the conviction that the state, represented by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, successfully substantiated Aisha Huang’s culpability beyond a reasonable doubt. Despite Huang’s consistent denial of all charges, the court noted inconsistencies in her defense statements during the extensive one-year, two-month trial.
Miracle Attachey, counsel for Aisha Huang, in his plea of mitigation said his client had been in custody since October 2022.
He, therefore prayed the court to impose a fine and deport his client instead of a custodial sentence.
“It is our humble prayer that a custodial sentence to the accused would exert another financial burden on the state particularly the prison service”, he added.
In a sharp response, the Director of Public Prosecutions said taking into consideration the impact of Aisha Huang’s action on the families and witnesses who testified before the court, it was imperative for the court to impose a maximum custodial sentence and a deportation order.
“In conclusion, we wish to state that because of the indignity with which the accused person operated, the sentence should reflect the impact of her actions on the people of Ghana, the communities that she had permanently impaired and the livelihoods that she took away,” she added
Background:
Aisha Huang, has been accused of being in the thick of affairs of illegal mining (galamsey), especially in the Ashanti Region.
She was deported from Ghana in 2018, after the Attorney-General decided to discontinue her trial in which she was accused of engaging in small-scale mining without licence.
However, she was said to have sneaked back into Ghana to allegedly engage in the same activities for which she was deported.
The A-G, Godfred Yeboah Dame, then decided to prosecute her for the alleged crimes before her deportation and new ones committed since her re-entry into Ghana.
It is the case of the prosecution that Aisha had an illegal mining concession at Bepotenten in the Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region and also operated a mining support services company.
