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Contrary to what police prosecutors told an Accra Circuit Court last week, the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, has stated that the embattled, ‘notorious’ galamsey ‘kingpin’, Aisha Huang, was repatriated in 2018.

There have been conflicting accounts on whether or not the Chinese national, who is currently facing prosecution on four counts (undertaking mining without a license, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation contrary to law, illegal employment of foreign nationals and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry) was deported or was repatriated.

But in court date, the police prosecutors said that she fled the country, leading to the termination of her case at the time, a report by myjoyonline.com has said.

According to the report, Detective Chief Inspector Frederick Sarpong, a state prosecutor, said she sneaked out of the country.

“The first accused, Aisha Huang, was arrested for a similar offence but managed to sneak out of the country averting prosecution,” he is reported to have told the court.

But the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, stated otherwise.

On a Friday, September 16, 2022, filing of charges against the galamsey ‘kingpin’, the AG said that she was repatriated.

“On December 19 2018, the Attorney-General entered nolle prosequi and terminated the trial. The same day, the Comptroller-General of Ghana Immigration Service revoked her permit to remain in Ghana indefinitely, ordered her immediate repatriation to China and directed her to stay out of Ghana until the Comptroller-General approved her future re-entry into Ghana.

“Consequently, she was put on Ethiopian Airlines Flight No. Et 920, which took off at about 12:50 pm on December 19, 2018, to Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, en route to Guangzhou-China. She sat on seat No. 32 F (Economy Class) and her travel documents were handed over to the captain of the flight to be handed over to her upon her arrival at her final destination, Guangzhou, China,” he said.

Earlier, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, while speaking in a radio interview, indicated his uncertainty on whether or not Aisha Huang was deported or repatriated.

“I am not still sure whether she was in fact deported or fled the country the first time,” he said.

But in defence, after several Ghanaians took the president to the cleaners because years earlier, he had clearly indicated that the galamsey ‘kingpin’ had been deported, the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, sought to clarify the matter.

“Technically, she was repatriated,” he stated.

The court denied Aisha Huang bail, and she is expected back in court on September 27.

She has so far pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.