The High Court in Accra has fixed July 3, 2026, to deliver its judgment in the case in which Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has been charged over illegal mining activities on the Akonta Mining’s concession in Samreboi in the Western Region.
This follows the closure of Wontumi’s defence to the charges on Tuesday June 3, 2026 after his fourth witness, Evans Addae, an Assemblyman in Samreboi, testified.
The witness, who was a “substitute” for one of the witnesses the accused person had listed to call, gave evidence and was subjected to cross-examination by Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai.
Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, following the closure of the defence case, fixed July 3, 2026, for judgment. She also directed parties to file their final written addresses, if they so desired to assist the Court, by June 17.
Wontumi (A1) and Akonta Mining (A3) have each pleaded not guilty to the charges of Assignment of Mineral Rights Without Approval and Purposely Facilitating an Unlicensed Mining Operation.
The second accused, Kwame Antwi, a director of Akonta Mining, is currently on the run.
On Thursday, May 21, 2026, Wontumi mounted the witness box himself to speak to the allegations in respect of the charges against him.
He called Wisdom Edem Gormarshie, who described himself as a professional mining engineer; Mireku Duker, former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources; Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, former Minister for the Western Region and current MP for Takoradi; and Evans Addae, an Assemblyman.
Before he was called upon to open his defence case, the prosecution had called four witnesses to prove its case.
Prosecution’s case
On February 4, 2026, State Attorneys closed the case of the Prosecution against Chairman Wontumi and his two co-accused — Kwame Antwi, who is at large, and Akonta Mining Limited.
It is the case of the Prosecution that Chairman Wontumi, without obtaining authorisation from the minister, gave his mining concession in Samreboi to people to use for galamsey, an accusation he has denied.
The Prosecution closed its case on February 4 after calling four witnesses, while Chairman Wontumi’s lawyers told the Court they wanted to make a submission of no case to answer.
The prosecution called Michael Ayisi Gyedu, a miner on the concession; Henry Okum, a small-scale miner who alleged Chairman Wontumi gave him the concession to mine; a mineral law expert; and Detective Inspector Sarfo Asiedu Akwasi, the investigator, before closing its case.
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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
