The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court has said it will begin trial of three accomplices of Aisha Huang arraigned for engaging in illegal mining on June 6, 2023.

Justice Lydia Osei Marfo fixed the date after the prosecution filed all necessary documents and pre-trial processes were completed by the parties.

The accused persons; Li We Guo, Shi Mei Zhi both Chinese and Nana Kwame Opoku, alias Obolo, a Ghanaian have been charged together for conspiracy to undertake mining without license.

Whilst Li Wei Guo (1st Accused) and Shi Mei Zhi, (2nd Accused) who are partners, are facing a charge of undertaking mining operation without license and false representation in obtaining resident permit.

Li Wei Guo, the 1st Accused is also facing the charge of false representation in obtaining a work permit.

Nana Kwame Opoku alias Obolo is separately charged for facilitating the participation of non-Ghanaians in an illegal mining operation.
The two Chinese nationals and the Ghanaian have all three pleaded not guilty.

The two Chinese are however on remand at the Nsawam Prison whilst the 3rd Accused, a Ghanaian, is on bail in the sum of GHc500k with two sureties.

Following a request from Defence lawyer Lucy Ekeleba Blay, holding brief for Freddie Blay, the Court has ordered the authorities at Nsawam Prison to furnish them with the medical records of the 2nd Accused person.

The brief facts of the case as narrated to the court were that on September 14, 2022, as part of investigations into the case of Aisha Huang, personnel of the Ministry of National Security, Kumasi, received information that the 1st and 2nd accused persons were engaged in illegal mining activities.

The National Security subsequently commenced investigations and as a result, leading to the arrested the 1st and 2nd accused persons together with another Chinese national and a Vietnamese national, from their residence at Paraku Estates near Daaban, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

According to her, the 1st and 2nd accused persons are lovers and investigations conducted established that between 2017 and 2018, they contacted the 3rd accused person and subsequently went to meet him at Nkawkaw.

Meanwhile, Aisha Huang has pleaded guilty for immigration offences.

Sompaonline.com/Nana Yaw Boamah