Court grants galamsey queen bail

• Posted on June 2, 2017
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Chinese woman believed to be deeply engaged in illegal mining in Ghana, Aisha Huang, has been granted bail by an Accra High Court. According to the court, the prosecution did not demonstrate how the accused will interfere with investigations if granted bail.

The judge, Justice Charles Ekow Baiden, also said the facts the state presented before the court did not match the charges. He further added that, the state led by the immigration failed to perform their duties as expected, leaving a number of loopholes in the opposition to the bail application.

The five Chinese were granted bail to the tune of GHs500,000 with two sureties who must all be Ghanaians residing in Ghana. He also added that, the suspects must report themselves twice each week to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Director General of the Immigration Service or any assigns of theirs. Aisha Huan and the other Chinese nationals have also been ordered to hand over their passports to officials of the court.

Aisha was remanded in prison custody, alongside four other Chinese nationals, after they were arrested by the Ghana Immigration Service, and brought to court a week ago over her alleged involvement in illegal mining in an area belonging to the Volta Resources Company Limited.

The judge, Justice Charles Edward Ekow Baiden, set June 2, 2017, to give a ruling on the bail application after hearing the case last week.

Some fresh charges had been leveled against her; which includes undertaking small scale mining operation contrary to section 99 (1) of the Minerals Commission act 2006, providing mining support without valid registration from the minerals commission, illegal employment of foreign nationals contrary to section 24 of the immigration act, and disobedience of directives under the immigration act 2000 (Act 573).

-Citifmonline