Govt won’t relent until all persons engaged in galamsey are prosecuted – Deputy AG

The government has expressed its readiness and commitment to ensure that all persons engaged in illegal mining activities across the country are arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Alfred Tuah-Yeboah says the government will not relent in its fight against galamsey on all fronts.

Speaking to Citi News after galamsey queen Aiyhsa Hang was jailed for four years and six months on Monday, December 4, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah said it is only a matter of time before all persons involved in galamsey are arrested and prosecuted.

“We have been able to successfully prosecute her [Aiyhsa Hang], and she is going to spend four years and six months in custody. It should be a lesson to others that you may be engaging in illegal mining, but when the time comes, the law will deal with you in accordance with what you have done. It is a continuous fight.”

Aiyhsa Hang was also fined by the court to the tune of GH¢48,000.

Background

Aisha Huang was accused of being in the thick of affairs of galamsey, especially in the Ashanti Region. She was initially arrested and deported from the country in 2018 after the A-G decided to discontinue her trial, in which she was accused of engaging in small-scale mining without a license.

However, she reportedly sneaked into the country to allegedly engage in the same activities for which she was deported.

In October 2022, the A-G then decided to prosecute her for the alleged crimes before her deportation and the new ones committed since her re-entry into the country.

It is the case of the prosecution that Aisha had an illegal mining concession at Bepotenten in the Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region and also operated a mining support services company.

She had pleaded not guilty to undertaking a mining operation without a license, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, the illegal employment of foreigners, and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry.

But on May 3, this year, Aisha pleaded guilty to entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry, contrary to section 20(4) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573.

That was after she had entered into a Plea Bargaining agreement with the State (office of the Attorney General).