The lawyer for the Chinese ‘galamsey’ queen, Aisha Huang, says the media has overhyped the case involving his client.
Captain (Rtd.) Nkrabea Effah Dartey said this is a small matter.
According to him, illegal mining happens systemically in the country so he does not understand the utmost attention given to this case in particular.
“My worry is that the media has overhyped this small matter of mining without a license and doing mineral sales without license. It’s a small matter, it happens every day in Ghana.”
“So I don’t see why the media should even write an editorial on this matter,” he said after his client was remanded for two weeks.
Meanwhile, he has also revealed that the suspect is married to a Ghanaian businessman.
According to him, Ms. Huang’s husband holds a Master’s degree from a Chinese University.
“I know she is married to a Ghanaian. I know this because of her Ghanaian husband, a businessman in Kumasi and a Master’s degree holder from a Chinese University.”
“He came to my office to engage me as a lawyer,” he disclosed in an interview with Citi FM.
Following her re-arrest some weeks ago, Aisha Huang’s return to the country has been a subject of controversy.
When President Akufo-Addo on Monday said he is “not still sure whether she was in fact deported,” a section of Ghanaians were taken aback.
“Or whether she fled the country the first time and has now come back. There still seems to be some uncertainty about it,” he said on a Ho-based radio station.
Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah clarified that the notorious Chinese illegal mining kingpin was repatriated from Ghana in December 2018 and not deported.
He further insisted on Joy FM on September 13 that a repatriation order or note was issued to this effect.
According to Mr. Oppong Nkrumah, the ‘galamsey’ queen was put on a flight and she exited the Ghanaian jurisdiction.
However, during her trial at the Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday, the facts presented by the prosecution told another story.
The prosecution said the first accused sneaked out of the country after her initial arrest.
Aisha Huang, according to the D/Inspr Eric Osei-Mensah, then re-entered in a similar fashion this year.
This was after she changed the details on her Chinese passport to aid her to evade the authorities.
“The 1st accused again resumed the small scale mining activities without license and together with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th accused persons engaged in the purchase and sale of minerals in Accra without valid authority granted as required by the Minerals and Mining Act,” portions of the charge fact sheet read.
Meanwhile, she is to remain in Police custody for the next two weeks as the Accra Circuit Court has turned down her request for bail.
