The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame has filed fresh charges against the ‘galamsey’ queen, Aisha Huang in respect of offences committed between 2015 and 2017.
The new charges were filed on Friday September 16, 2022 and are
Count One: 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 the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act 2019, Act 995.
Count Two: Facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation contrary to section 99 (2)(a) & (3) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006, Act 703 as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act 2019, Act 995.
Count Three: Illegal employment of foreign nationals contrary to section 24 of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).
Count Four: Entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry contrary to section 20(4) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573.
The Chinese national was arraigned on Friday before the Criminal Division of the High Court presided over by Justice Lydia Marfo and hearing conducted virtually.
Lawyer for the accused put in a bail application which was denied and the accused was remanded into prison custody.
Hearing has been adjourned to October 11. The Attorney-General is expected to soon take over the docket from National Security in respect of offences committed this year.
The ‘galamsey’ queen was initially charged with sale and purchase of minerals in Accra without licence and engaging in illegal mining without licence.
Aisha Huang is being charged with three other accomplices.
On Wednesday, she appeared before the Accra Circuit Court together with her three accomplices and were remanded into prison custody for the next two weeks.
Prosecutors got an Accra Circuit Court to extend a warrant of arrest permitting them to hold her for at least two weeks while they carry out further investigations.
Lawyers for Miss Huang, who is accused of engaging in mining without a licence made a strong case for her to be granted bail.
But the Court denied the bail request.