Huang Lei, the son of the Chinese ”galamsey” kingpin, En Huang, popularly known as Aisha Huang has been convicted following his guilty plea to charges against him.
He was charged with one count of remaining in Ghana after the expiration of his passport and one count of possessing 250 rounds of ammunition without authority.
The Chinese national had initially pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was remanded in prison custody on grounds that he was a flight risk.
However, upon his subsequent appearances before Criminal Court 4 presided over by Justice Comfort Tasiame, the accused changed his plea and admitted the offenses.
He pleaded guilty to the charges of remaining in Ghana after the expiration of permits, possession of ammunition without lawful authority, and possession of forged official documents.
The court has therefore convicted him on his own plea to a fine of GHc10, 800.00.
The court also ordered the Ghana Immigration Service to deport him and reports indicate that the convict has since been deported to China.
Meanwhile, his counterpart, Huang Haihua, is still standing trial and the case has been adjourned to April 5, 2023, for a case management conference.
Facts of the case
The facts of the case presented by Mercy Arthur, a Principal State Attorney, said sometime in August 2022, the Ghana Immigration Service and other security agencies received a tip-off that some Chinese nationals were living in Ghana despite the expiration of their permit.
Huang Lei was arrested on September 2, 2022, and the arresting officers were able to retrieve among other things, eight packs of Eley shotgun cartridges, containing about two 250 pieces of ammunition. He was not able to provide a valid license for them.
She said Huang Haihua, on the other hand, had in his possession a Chinese passport bearing his name, and affixed to the said passport is what appears to be a Republic of Ghana Residence Permit purportedly issued by the Director of Immigration for a one-year period with effect from May 26, 2022.
However, investigations disclosed that the supposed permit was not issued by or with the consent or authority of the Ghana Immigration Service.
Mrs. Arthur indicated that based on further intelligence gathered, the team of security officers visited a property at Daban, Kumasi, on September 14, 2022, where Shi Yang, together with others resided and were also arrested on suspicion of remaining in Ghana without the requisite permits as well as engaging in illegal mining operations.
She said a Chinese passport bearing his name and other particulars was retrieved from him and affixed with what appears to be a Republic of Ghana Residence Permit “purportedly issued by the Director of Immigration for a one-year period with effect from May 26, 2022. However, investigations disclosed that the supposed permit was not issued by or with the consent or authority of the Ghana Immigration Service.
“Also retrieved from the room of the third accused person (Shi Yang) were eighty-three (83) pieces of live 9mm ammunition, three (3) pieces of live 8mm ammunition, twenty-two (22) pieces of live BB ammunition, and three (3) pieces of live AA ammunition, all of which were in the possession of the third accused person without authority,” Mrs. Arthur added.