The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has appeared before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service but has not yet been formally charged over alleged illegal mining activities linked to Akonta Mining Limited.
The appearance on Monday, October 6, 2025, follows a directive from the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, who warned that failure to report today would result in arrest, noting that charges had already been signed.
Following the engagement, Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, speaking to the media explained that the process is still in its early stages.
“So, we are early days yet. We have not been charged so far. We are awaiting any charges, if any. And we have been granted police enquiry bail. And we have responded to all invitations, all. And I want to emphasise, all invitations we have responded,” Appiah-Kubi stated.
He added that his client has complied with all official requests and emphasized the importance of proper procedure when responding to invitations from authorities.
“It is also right in our practice that if for any reason you cannot respond, you make an application to the authority inviting you, indicating the reasons why you cannot respond at that given time, and also pray for an agreed time, which would be the time for both parties to be able to present themselves. And then, we continue with investigations or prosecution. So, we will always be dutiful in responding to calls from authority and all cases where my client is involved in either investigation or in prosecution,” Appiah-Kubi explained.
Chairman Wontumi, who had earlier appeared before the CID in May over the same matter, has repeatedly denied engaging in illegal mining, insisting that Akonta Mining operates with a valid large-scale mining license.
He has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢1 million as investigations continue.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
