Aisha Huang, also known as En Huang, has been convicted and sentenced to four years in prison by the High Court in Accra for engaging in mining operations without a license and for unlawfully entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry. The court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, also imposed a fine of GHC48,000 on Aisha Huang.
The charges against Aisha Huang, brought by the Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, stemmed from allegations that she undertook mining operations in Ghana without the necessary licensing regime. The court found her guilty on all four charges leveled against her.
The first charge accused Aisha Huang of “undertaking a mining operation without a license,” violating 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. The court accepted the state’s argument that she engaged in mining operations in the Ashanti Region between February 2015 and May 2017 without the required license.
The second charge, “facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation,” alleged that Aisha Huang facilitated the involvement of other individuals in mining operations without the necessary license. The state contended that between February 2015 and May 2017, she enabled several individuals to participate in mining activities in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.
The third count focused on the “illegal employment of foreign nationals” under section 24 of the Immigration Act (2000), Act 573. The state argued that in May 2017, Aisha Huang illegally employed four Chinese nationals to work at an unauthorized mining site in the Ashanti Region.
The final charge accused Aisha Huang of “entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry” under section 20(4) of the Immigration Act (2000), Act 573. The state asserted that she was arrested in Kumasi on September 2, 2022, and found to have re-entered Ghana despite being barred.
Aisha Huang’s case gained attention when the Attorney General took over the file in November 2022 after she was located and rearrested in Ghana years after being deported. Throughout the trial, Aisha Huang was denied bail and remained in prison custody.
The survey conducted by Global Info Analytics, released on Monday, December 2, 2023, indicates that former President John Dramani Mahama leads in the Northern Region polls for the 2024 elections. The study revealed that Mahama secured 55% of the votes, surpassing Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who garnered 37%. The poll covered 18 constituencies in the Northern Region, with economic concerns being a key factor influencing voters’ choices. The total sample size was 1,538, and the margin of error was ±3.19%, with a confidence level of 99%. The survey was conducted between November 20 and November 30, 2023.