Aisha Huang, galamsey queen sentenced to 4 and 6 months in prison, fined GH¢48,000
Aisha Huang, a Chinese national known as the “galamsey queen,” was imprisoned by the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court for engaging in illicit mining within the nation. In addition, she was fined GH¢48,000 and will be deported after her jail sentence is up.
The court, chaired by Justice Lydia Osei-Marfo, found her guilty of conducting an unlawful mining operation, enabling the participation of those engaged in an illegal mining activity, and employing foreign nationals without authorization.
CitiNews reported that based on her plea, Aisha Huang was found guilty of entering Ghana despite being barred from returning. In her brief before the court, Yvonne Atokora Obuobisa, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), established Aisha’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court stated that Aisha Huang contradicted herself during her trial defence comments despite rejecting all the charges. In his mitigation plea, Aisha’s attorney, Miracle Attachey, noted that his client had been detained since October 2022. Consequently, he begged the court to grant his client a fine and deportation rather than a jail term.
He continued, “It is our humble prayer that a custodial sentence to the accused would exert another financial burden on the state, particularly the prison service.” The Director of Public Prosecutions responded sharply, stating that the court had to impose a maximum jail sentence and a deportation order due to the impact of Aisha’s actions on the families and witnesses who testified before this court.
She stated, “In conclusion, we wish to state that because of the indignity with which the accused person operated, the sentence should reflect the impact of her actions on the people of Ghana, the communities that she had permanently impaired and the livelihoods that she took away.”
