Details of how Aisha Huang began mining 'illegally' in Ghana

The state prosecution’s third witness in the ongoing trial of Aisha Huang, the galamsey kingpin, has been giving the Accra High Court details of how the Chinese started mining illegally in Ghana.

Nana Sarfo Prempeh in submitting documents including maps and receipts from the Minerals Commission told the court that the 47-year-old started her operations by encroaching on his concession in 2015.

He said, he had obtained a permit to undertake prospecting of minerals in areas in the Ashanti Region, but sometime in 2015, Aisha Huang entered his concession and started undertaking mining activities; something that took a toll on his company and impeded them from carrying out explorations.

He explained further that all his efforts to halt the activities of the galamsey kingpin including the writing of letters to the Regional Security Council, filing of a complaint with the traditional council, and the Police headquarters in Accra all proved futile as the accused - perceived to be connected - continued with her mining operations.

Nana Sarfo Prempeh noted that it took the granting of an injunction by the Bekwai District Court to bar the accused from continuing her operations.

“I know the accused person. My knowledge of her bothers her illegal activities at the Volta resources concession. In 2015, she commenced her mining operations at the concession of Volta resources.

“She later moved to another part of our concession at Bepotenten where her Chinese workers were arrested in May 2017.

“From that period of 2015-2017, we made all efforts to evict her from the land and stopped her illegal activities which all proved futile.

“I hereby state that her activities were illegal because my company Volta resources limited had been granted a prospecting license so there is no way she could possibly have a mining license over the same piece of land," Nana Sarfo Prempeh narrated.

He continued: “I reported the case of her encroachment and illegal mining to REGSEC and also to the chiefs and traditional leaders of Bekwai. That also proved futile. I wish to tender into evidence a letter dated 3rd June, 2015 from Volta Resources Ltd to REGSEC as proof of our complaints about the encroachment activities of the accused person.

“In February 2016 VRL made a formal complaint at the Police HQ. A team of investigators were assigned but nothing came out of it.

“On April 11, 2017, VRL filed a writ of summons against En Huang at the Bekwai Circuit Court. Edward Koranteng was the plaintiff on behalf of VRL against Aisha Huang of Kumasi.

“Volta Resources Ltd also caused to be published in the media the encroachment and devastating effect of the illegal mining activities of the accused person in its concession and the effect on the host the communities."

“Letter dated 8th June 2017 with the subj being petition to IGP regarding the land seizure of excavators, machinery and equipment relevant to the case of the republic vs En Huang but nothing came out of it. The accused person has caused tremendous devastation to the resources of VRL,” Nana Sarfo Prempeh stressed.

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