Aisha Huang Was Convicted For Offenses In 2015 And 2017 - Deputy Attorney General

To demystify the circumstances surrounding the sentencing of Aisha Huang, a Chinese national involved in illegal mining activities, Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, offered clarification. 

Tuah-Yeboah highlighted the temporal context of Aisha Huang's involvement in illegal mining, noting that the legal amendments were not in effect during the period when Huang's infractions took place (2015-2017). He emphasized the fundamental principle of evidence in law, underscoring that Huang's case was prosecuted based solely on the evidence available from the specified time frame.

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Addressing questions about the choice of sentencing under the previous law, the Deputy Attorney General explained that the judge had correctly applied the relevant sentencing guidelines. Given that Huang's offenses occurred before the introduction of the amended law, the judge implemented the maximum punishment permissible under the earlier legislation. Tuah-Yeboah also expressed the Attorney General's office's aspiration for a more severe sentence, citing the minimum sentencing guidelines for foreign nationals, while emphasizing that the judicial decision aligns with constitutional provisions and the Interpretation Act.

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Furthermore, Tuah-Yeboah shed light on the Amended Minerals and Mining Act, which not only enhances penalties for illegal mining but also expressly criminalizes aiding and abetting such activities. He detailed the revised minimum and maximum sentences, highlighting that foreigners engaged in illegal mining may face deportation following their sentence.

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To provide context, Tuah-Yeboah highlighted recent cases where Ghanaians were sentenced under the amended law. Notably, in October 2023, twenty-one individuals were convicted and sentenced to a collective 340 years in prison for illegal mining in the Western Region. This instance underscored the consistent application of the revised legal framework, with the associated significant prison terms and fines imposed.

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