The High Court in Accra has ordered Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, to file a list of witnesses, whom he may call should it become necessary for him to open his defence in a case in which he is facing charges, including allegedly assigning mineral rights without approval.
Mr. Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is required to submit the list, containing the names and addresses of the witnesses, to the registry by December 8, per the order.
Chairman Wontumi has been charged alongside Kwame Antwi, a Director of Akonta Mining (currently at large), and Akonta Mining, the company itself.
On Thursday, November 27, when the case was called for a Case Management Conference (CMC), his lawyers led by Andy Appiah Kubi, requested for an adjournment to file a motion requesting further disclosures.
Prosecution, led by Nana Ama Prempeh, a Senior State Attorney, said the Prosecution has completed the filing of Disclosures and witnesses and were ready for Case Management Conference.
The prosecutors indicated to the court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocivie-Tay, that they will rely on four witnesses.
Wontumi’s request
Wontumi’s requests: Lawyers for Chairman Wontumi, Appiah Kubi, prayed the Court for further disclosures from the prosecution.
“Our understanding from the submission from prosecution was that they intended to file further disclosures, so our expectation was that such disclosures will include other documents that we would need and rely on, which we believe is in their possession for us to rely on for the CMC stage.
“Granted that prosecution has indicated in court that the disclosures filed on November 11 and October 31 constitute the entirety of their disclosure, same as they would like to rely, it is our prayer that since they have disclosed, we will want to rely on it.
“We will pray the court to make that order. We intend to file a motion seeking your orders for prosecution to furnish us with such disclosure. We pray for a short day for the application to come,” he submitted.
By Court
The Court: Justice Audrey Kocivie-Tay granted the request and ordered that the motion be filed by next Monday.
“Counsel for the accused person has indicated to the court that he has already prepared an application to pray the court for further disclosure.
Since he has already prepared his application, he is to file and serve prosecution with a return date of December 8, 2025,” the Court said.
“It is further ordered that the accused persons file at the registry of this court the names and addresses of all witnesses they may call at the trial if called upon to do so upon prosecution having proven a prima facie case against the accused,” the Court said.
The case has been adjourned to December 8, 2025, for CMC.
Per the Charge Sheet filed on October 6, 2025, Chairman Wontumi and the two others are facing a combined six charges, with each facing two counts.
The charges comprise three counts of assignment of mineral rights without approval, contrary to Section 14(1) and Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Section 3 of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995), and another three counts of purposely facilitating an unlicensed mining operation, contrary to Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Section 3 of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
Brief facts
Per the brief facts of the case, as filed on October 6, signed by the Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, the 1st Accused Person (A1), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, alias WONTUMI, a 49-year-old entrepreneur, is a native of Kuntanase in the Ashanti Region.
On paper, he is one of the two shareholders and one of the two directors of Akonta Mining Company Limited – the 3rd Accused Person (A3).
According to the Charge Sheet, Akonta Mining Company was incorporated on November 5, 2010, with “mining and exploration” as its object and principal business activities.
While Tarkwa is listed as its principal place of business, it operates mainly in the Samreboi area.
The Charge Sheet stated that the 2nd Accused Person (A2), Kwame Antwi, is at large and is listed as the other shareholder and director of Akonta Mining (A3).
Chairman Wontumi stated in both his police charge statement and investigative caution statement that he never saw or heard of Kwame Antwi since 2010 after they completed the company registration and other registration formalities.
Investigations have established that Chairman Wontumi (A1) alone has since exercised absolute control over Akonta Mining Company’s (A3) activities.
Further investigation is ongoing to establish the existence and, if so, the identity of Kwame Antwi (A2).
Items retrieved
As part of the Republic’s fight against the galamsey (illegal mining) menace, the Ghana Police Service embarked on a special operation on April 16, 2025, in the Samreboi area.
At the end of the operation on April 17, 2025, the police arrested Michael Ayisi Gyedu, a 50-year-old native of Samreboi, and 28 others within Akonta Mining Company’s (A3) concession in Samreboi.
During the arrest, the police retrieved the following items: eight pump-action guns, one single-barreled gun, five pieces of metal suspected to be gold concealed in a sachet, four machetes, several water pumping machines, 310 AAA/BB cartridges, one grease gun, four motorcycles, two vehicles, cash amounting to One Hundred and Fifty-seven Thousand Ghana cedis only (GH₵157,000.00), 25 serviceable excavators, and four non-serviceable excavators.
The Charge Sheet added that at the end of the trial, the Republic will pray the Court for a forfeiture order in respect of all items of value retrieved from the concession.
Galamsey activities
Per the charge sheet, upon his arrest, Michael Ayisi Gyedu named another, Henry Okum (a 44-year-old native of Krobo Odumase), as his employer who assigned him to supervise the mining activities on the concession.
Further, Michael Ayisi Gyedu stated that he and his fellow employees, as part of the mining activities on the concession, undertook land reclamation on parts of the concession that had been devastated while mining on the unmined portions of the land.
Henry Okum was subsequently arrested and cautioned. During interrogation, Henry Okum told police investigators under caution that sometime in September 2024, he approached and sought permission from Chairman Wontumi (A1) to undertake mining operations within the concession, which he believed belonged to Chairman Wontumi (A1) at Samreboi.
Investigations have established that Chairman Wontumi (A1) did agree to this proposal and gave Henry Okum permission to carry out mining operations within the concession.
Further investigations have, however, established that A1 allowed Henry Okum to carry out mining activities within A3’s concession without seeking or obtaining the legally mandated approval of the Minister.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
