Member of Parliament for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has hinted that elements within the Nana Akufo-Addo administration influenced the decision of embattled Chinese illegal miner En ‘Aisha’ Huang to change her lawyer.
The revelation is the latest put out by the North Tongu MP to contradict government’s claims that it deported En ‘Aisha’ Huang in 2018 when her trial was ongoing.
On January 29, 2018, Capt (Rtd) Nkrabea Effah Dartey took over as lawyer for the embattled Chinese illegal miner and her accomplices during the trial kicked off her by first arrest in 2017.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in an interview with Sena Nombo on Gold Morning Conversation suggested that information he picked up points to the fact that some elements at the Attorney General’s office at the time influenced the change in lawyer.
A Daily Guide Report filed by Abdul Djibril Razak indicated that Captain (Rtd) Nkrabea Effah Dartey’s takeover as lawyer of the then five Chinese illegal miners was so dramatic it surprised everyone in the courtroom including the judge Justice Charles Ekow Baiden as a different lawyer had announced himself as Counsel for the accused persons.
The said lawyer who had represented the accused persons throughout the trial was reported to have sought the permission of the court to seek medical attention moments before the case was called, only for Capt (Rtd) Nkrabea Effah Dartey to turn up later and claim to represent the accused persons.
According to the Daily Guide report, the Presiding judge was further taken aback when lawyer Effah-Dartey rose and raised a matter that another judge had dealt with a month earlier, an application to vary the bail terms of the accused persons.
“You are aware that an application was made some time back and it was not granted and you have come before me to make the same application, is it fair?” Justice Charles Ekow Baiden asked.
Justice Charles therefore asked Captain Effah-Dartey to file a notice of change of solicitor for the court to recognise him.
“Another lawyer just stepped out and you have just come in to say that you represent all the five accused persons. The whole process this morning is strange to me. You are not in the records of this court,” the judge indicated.
