En Huang also known as Ashia Huang has blamed the media for her unpleasant circumstance and public hatred towards her.

She said the media was used as a weapon against her by one of the prosecution witnesses.

Giving her evidence in chief, she told the Accra High Court “I say that the publications tendered in evidence alleging that I and my company engaged in mining or provided mining support services are not true but a ploy by the witnesses to play into a narrative, which had been planted in the media by people like PW3 as be confirmed during his evidence.”

Famously known as Chinese “Iron lady”, Ashia Huang said between 2013 and 2018, she was running a supermarket at Ahodwo at Kumasi with predominantly Chinese customer base.

The court heard that Ashia Huang groceries shop has not linkages with the supply of mining equipment or engaging in mining.

According to her, the four Chinese nationals – Gao Jin Cheng, Lu Qi Jun, Haibi Gao and Zhang Zhipeng – arrested in connection with illegal mining in the Ashanti region are not her employees or act under her instructions.

Ashia Huang claimed she only went to the Ghana Immigration office in Kumasi after the hearing of their arrest only on the reason that she wanted to offer them support, as his “countrymen,” and nothing more or less.

She admitted having two passports of the four suspects in her possession because their permit had expired and was assisting to renew them.

Ashia Huang said she was famous in the Chinese community in Ghana because of her supermarket and she becomes their point of reference when they found themselves in Kumasi and environs.

She added that it was in line of this, the suspects contacted her.

En further denied ever owning a driving licence or knowing how to operate earthmoving machine and left alone an excavator.

She also denied having a mining concession at Bepotenten in the Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region, therefore, the photo evidence of destruction of the environment caused by illegal before the court could not be attributed to her.

Ashia is charged with undertaking a mining operation without a licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in a mining operation, the illegal employment of foreigners and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges.