As part of the beginning of her defense before an Accra High Court, En Huang, alias Aisha Huang, the suspected galamsey kingpin, has filed her witness testimony.
En Huang is facing three counts of engaging in mining operations without a license, facilitating the participation of individuals engaged in illicit mining operations, and facilitating the employment of foreigners.
She is also accused of returning to Ghana after being expelled in 2018. But she has denied the accusations levelled against her.
In her five-page witness statement, admitted in evidence, Aisha, however, said: “My company (Golden Asia) did not own or operate a mining site in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.
“I did not engage or employ Gao Jin Cheng, Lu QiJun, Haibin Gao and Zhang Zhipeng to mine or provide mining support service from us or to anyone.
“I say that neither I nor my company, Golden Asia, nor myself have bought any farm or piece of land from prosecution witnesses four, five, six or anyone or own any piece or parcel of land or mining site in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti region.”
Aisha claims that none of the excavators, “chanffans,” or other earth moving equipment purportedly discovered at the locations where the four Chinese nationals were detained was owned or used by her business, Golden Asia.
Two of the aforementioned Chinese nationals, according to Aisha, who was guided in her testimony by her defense team, had their passports with her in Kumasi.
However, Aisha acknowledged that once the four citizens were detained, she checked in with the Ghana Immigration Service to see how she could help.
She explained: “None of the four Chinese nationals is my family member.”
Aisha Huang also denied knowing or visiting any of the mining sites captured in the videos, pictures and maps tendered before the court by some witnesses.
According to Aisha, she also did not engage in any mining or provide any mining support services although they were licensed to do so.
She informed the court that she had lived in Ahodwo, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region from the year 2011 until she was deported in December 2018.
“I say that between the years 2013 and 2018 I operated a supermarket, popularly known as Aisha Supermarket at Ahodwo, Kumasi, having a dominantly Chinese customer base.”
The matter has been adjourned to July 17, 2023, for cross-examination.