Parties in the case against the three accomplices of the infamous Aisha Huang, standing trial for engaging in illegal mining, are to file their closing addresses to the court by 12 December, this year.
A date for Judgment on the case would then be announced by the court on 12 December when the court sits, the New Crusading GUIDE has learnt.
At the hearing on Friday, last week, the court received evidence from Nana Kwame Opoku, the 3rd accused, with the State also concluding its cross examination of the accused.
All the three accused persons, Li Wei Guo, Shi Mei Zhi, and Nana Kwame Opoku also known as Obolo, have been charged with conspiracy to undertake mining operations without licence contrary to section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, Act 29 and section 99(2)(a) of the Minerals and. Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) as amended by Act 995 of 2019.
Li Wei Guo and Shi Mei Zhi, the first and second accused persons are facing charges for undertaking a mining operation without a licence, contrary to section 99(2)(a) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) as amended by Act 995 of 2019.
Obolo as Nana Kwame Opoku, the third accused is known, is charged with facilitating the participation of non-Ghanaians in an illegal mining operation contrary to section 99(5)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) as amended by Act 995 of 2019.
The first accused person is also charged with false representation in fulfilling an obligation in obtaining a work permit contrary to Section 52(1)(e) of the Immigration Act, 2000 Act 573.
The first and second accused persons are charged with false representation in fulfilment of an obligation to obtain a residence permit contrary to Section 52(1)(e) of the Immigration Act, 2000 Act 573.
The facts of the case are that on 14 September 2022, as part of investigations into the case of En Huang @ Aisha, personnel of the Ministry of National Security, Kumasi, received information that the Li Wei Guo and Shi Mei Zhi persons were engaged in illegal mining activities (galamsey) so they commenced investigations into their activities.
As a result, the officers arrested the 1st and 2nd accused persons together and others from their residence at Paraku Estates near Daaban, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region and commenced investigations.
Li Wei Guo and Shi Mei Zhi are lovers and the investigations established that between 2017 and 2018, the two were assisted by the Nana Kwame Opoku accused to procure land at Dunkwa Nwinso in the Eastern Region for illegal mining operations.
The two Chinese had residence permits issued by the Ghana Immigration Service but when the processes leading to the issuance of the permits were interrogated, it was found that the Work and Residence Permits were irregularly obtained.
The trial of the three accomplices of Aisha Huang arraigned for engaging in illegal mining begun on June 6, 2023, and has been ongoing since then under the gavel of Justice Lydia Osei Marfo.
