Galamsey queen Aisha Huang convicted on immigration charge
The Accra High Court has convicted a Chinese woman, En Huang, aka Aisha Huang, on her own plea, for entering Ghana after she was deported from the country in 2018.
She has pleaded guilty to entering Ghana while she was barred from re-entry contrary to section 20(4) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573, of Ghana.
Initially, she denied the charge, but on Wednesday, she changed her plea to guilty, and was convicted on her own plea.
Aisha, on September 2, 2022, was arrested in Kumasi and found to have re-entered Ghana after she had been barred from entering the country.
Mrs Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, the presiding judge, convicted accused and deferred the sentencing to the conclusion of the trial, since there were three other charges against her.
Aisha, nicknamed galamsey queen, was also charged for undertaking mining operation without licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in mining operation and the illegal employment of foreigners.
The prosecution, after calling 11 witnesses, closed its case and the court ordered lawyers for accused to file their submission of no case by May 16, 2023, and serve same on the prosecution.
The court also instructed prosecution to respond to the submission of no case, by May 24, 2023, and adjourned the trial to May 25, 2023.
Earlier, prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Frederick Sarpong, said Aisha Huang had previously escaped prosecution in Accra, when she was arrested.
He said Aisha, accused of engaging in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, returned to her country, China, and changed her identity, only to come back to Ghana to commit the same crime of which she escaped prosecution earlier.
The court heard that the suspect applied for a Togo visa and went through the borders into Ghana and back to the ‘galamsey’ business in a town in the Ashanti Region.
Chief Sarpong said the three others standing trial with Aisha, were arrested for selling mining equipment and dealing in gold without a valid licence.