Details of Chinese National standing trial for engaging in illegal mining are emerging as hearing continues at an Accra High Court.
State Prosecution’s witness during a re-examination by counsel for Aisha Huang, Capt Rtd Effah Dartey told the court how he believes the accused was involved in the illegal practice.
After submitting his witness statement, Capt(Rtd) Effah Dartey noted that the he was convinced the prosecution’s witness had not provided sufficient testimony against his client on accusations of mining operations.
Supt David Essien, an investigator with the Enforcement Unit of the Ghana Immigration Service objected and narrated how Aisha Huang came to be tied with the allegations of illegal mining.
According to him, Aisha Huang had told investigators in statements she submitted after her arrest in 2017 that she rents excavator machines to a registered small-scale mining company known as Egyir Mining Company.
After investigators invited a director of Egyir Mining Company for questioning, Mr Aston Ahenkan rebutted assertions by Aisha Huang and noted that the Chinese National had no agreement with the company.
He claimed that Aisha Huang’s mother leased 3 acres of the company’s concession at Bepotenten which she had refused to make payments.
Below is a transcript of proceedings in court.
“Mr Essien as far as you’re concerned, you don’t have specific points of facts against the accused on mining operations.
Ans: “No my Lord, I have facts about the accused involvement in mining. My Lord, when I encountered the accused on two occasions, we took two statements from her. In those two statements she mentioned that she rents excavator machines to Egyir Mining Company which has a mining concession at Bepotenten.
“Investigations followed and as a result I was tasked to invite one of the directors of Egyir Mining in the person of Aston Ahenkan. The said director honoured the invitation and a caution statement was taken from him on 19th May, 2017.
“In the said statement, Mr Egyir said he has known the accused for 3 years and the accused used to mine on a concession that shares boundary with their small scale mining concession. Mr Egyir further indicated that their company (Egyir Mining Company) hasn’t entered into any agreement of renting excavator machines claimed by the accused. Rather the accused’s mother who’s also a director of the company leased 3 acres of their concession for the accused to mine out of which the accused has failed to pay them as promised.
“My Lord when the media publication came to my attention we continued with our investigations and mounted surveillance on the accused until our Obuasi team intercepted 4 employees of the accused. When the arresting officers brought the employees, the accompanying report indicated that they were sent to the site to mine for the accused.
“According to the report it was Gao Jin Cheng who mentioned this to our Obuasi team. My Lord, even before the arrival of the arresting team, the accused surfaced at our Kumasi office to inquire whether her employees she has sent to Obuasi Bepotenten had arrived. When she realized they were not in she left.
“When I interviewed the intercepted employees, their leader, Gao Jin Cheng who could speak broken English informed me that the accused sent them to Bepotenten to mine and that their passports are with the accused.
“I was tasked to invite the accused which she came to the office and provided two passports of the 4 employees together with the passport. The accused and the colleagues were referred to our Accra office for further investigations.
“These pieces of information and evidences confirm that the accused is involved in illegal mining activities and that was why she faced trial 2018.”
Citing ambiguity on the identity of who was being referred to as the accused’s mother, Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Tuah Yeboah asked the witness for further details but counsel for Aisha, Lawyer Effah Dartey objected.
Presiding judge Lydia Osei Marfo discharged the witness and adjourned the hearing to Wednesday, November, 16.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana