The video on the mining activities of Aisha Huang, aka ‘Galamsey’ queen and four others, has been played in court.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Charles Adaba, the case investigator tendered the video to the court when he continued his testimony in court.
Led by Mercy Arthur, Senior State Attorney, ASP Adaba explained that the area where Aisha and her four accomplices carried out their activities was in a deplorable state so the police hired drones to capture the mining activities at an area known as School Mu, near Bepotenten in the Ashanti Region.
ASP Adaba also tendered a request by the Police to the Registrar General’s Department over the business operations of Aisha. The case investigator said the police made the request on June 29, last year.
According to ASP Adaba, the Police received a response from the Registrar General’s Department.
The court, presided over by Justice Ekow Baiden, after scrutinizing the response from the Registrar General’s Department, disclosed that cover letter from the department had not been tendered.
The court, therefore, ordered the prosecution to produce the official covering letter from the Registrar General’s Department in court at the next sitting.
ASP Adaba earlier said when investigations commenced on the activities of the accused persons, the Police visited the mining sites. According to the case investigator, the Odikro of the area informed him that Aisha came with various documents indicating that she had been given mining concession.
ASP Adaba said later Aisha brought in various equipment to commence mining in four areas at Bopotenten.
He said Aisha Huang and her four accomplices- Gao Jin Cheng, 45; Lu Qi Jun 39; Habin Gao 26; and Zang Pan 23, have been accused of engaging in illegal mining in the Ashanti Region.
Aisha, aka Yaa Asantewaa, has additionally been accused of providing mine support services without valid licence from the Minerals Commission.
They have all denied the charges.
Aisha Huang is currently on bail.
Her accomplices, who have all pleaded not guilty, are on GH¢500,000 bail each, with surety each to be justified before the court, presided over by Charles Ekow Baiden.
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