En Huang, aka Aisha Huang, a Chinese alleged galamsey kingpin, broke down on Wednesday after an Accra High Court denied her bail application for the second time.
Captain Retired Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, Aisha Huang’s lawyer, re-applied for her bail, explaining that Aisha was on bail during her trial in 2017.
“I am not saying you should leave her,” the defence counsel said. I simply ask that, as the case progresses, she be allowed to move freely, subject to the conditions specified by the court.
“Five years ago, when my client was on trial on similar charges, she never missed a single court hearing.”
Aisha was broken, according to the Counsel, because she had been denied bail several times.
“You should know that being in prison or custody is not an easy thing to do. “I’ve been there, and I know how it feels,” he added.
However, the Court, presided over by Mrs Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, denied the application, stating that the trial had already begun and was proceeding at a faster pace.
“Because the accused is a foreigner with no social or other ties in the jurisdiction, she is a flight risk,” the court stated.
Mrs. Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecutions, led Superintendent of Immigration Reuben Ransford Aborabora into the witness stand when the trial began.
Mrs. Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecutions, led Superintendent of Immigration Reuben Ransford Aborabora into the witness stand when the trial began.
According to the first prosecution witness, on May 5, 2017, he led six other officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to check the validity of foreign nationals’ permits in the country as part of his duties.
The officers from the GIS Enforcement Unit travelled to Bepotenten in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.
The purpose of their visit to Bepotenten, according to Supt. Aborabora, was to confirm information “our office had received to the effect that some Chinese nationals and others were engaged in illegal mining at Bepotenten despite the government’s ban on illegal mining activities.”
When the first prosecution witness arrived at Bepotenten, he stated that a road that ran through the site had a container with machine parts in it.
There were also barrels containing fuel, and mining activities had resulted in freshly dugout sand heaps.
There was a cocoa farm nearby, and part of it had been cleared, while dug out pits had some water in them, he added.
“At the site, I heard the sound of excavators in use and the sound of generators,” said Supt. Aborabora. I saw six excavators in total, four of which were in use.”
Supt. Aborabora stated that the team arrested four Chinese nationals at Bepotenten, including one Gao Jin Cheng, who informed them that they were there to mine for one Aisha.
When he asked the four for their passports, he was told that they were with Aisha.
As a result, he used his mobile phone to record the mining activities at Bepotenten, which he then transferred to a Compact Disc and, later, a pen drive.
As a result, the video recording was used as evidence in court.
In response to questions from Capt. Effah Dartey, the officer stated that Aisha was not at Bepotenten when his team visited.
Also read: Aisha Huang’s situation so far makes me sad – Effah-Darteh
The officer also stated that he had no direct information against Aisha for illegal mining.
Gao, on the other hand, informed him that they were at the mine site for Aisha, who also had their passports.
“If Gao Jin Chen gave you incorrect information, then your source is incorrect,” says the Defence Counsel (DC).
“Yes, my Lord,” the witness said, “I only reported on what Gao Jin Cheng told me, and I forwarded it in my report to the GIS Enforcement Unit in Kumasi for further investigation.”
DC: “You and your men carried out regular operations at Bepotenten.”
Witness: “Not exactly, we go there as and when my senior officer in charge directs.”
DC: “Are you aware that some of your men were constantly being compromised?”
Witness: “No, my Lord, I have no personal information to that effect.”
Aisha is being held for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities in the year 2017 at Bepotenten in the Ashanti Region.
She is accused of conducting mining operations without a licence and facilitating the participation of miners.
Aisha is also accused of illegally employing foreign nationals and illegally entering Ghana while barred from re-entry.
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