High Court Jails Chairman Wontumi 20 Years On All Six Illegal Mining Counts

An Accra High Court has sentenced Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi and NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, to 20 years imprisonment* after convicting him on all six counts of illegal mining.

Delivering judgment and sentence, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay found Mr. Antwi-Boasiako guilty of unlawfully assigning mineral rights and purposely facilitating unlicensed mining operations, contrary to the *Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended.

Court Dismisses Defense Application
Before sentencing, the court dismissed a defense application seeking to defer judgment and refer aspects of the case to the Supreme Court for constitutional interpretation.

Justice Kocuvie-Tay ruled the application lacked merit, despite submissions by defense counsel that lead lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea was out of the country.

What The Court Found
The court held that the prosecution proved Mr. Antwi-Boasiako, as owner and controlling director of Akonta Mining Company Limited, allowed mining activities to be carried out on the Samreboi concession without the prior written approval of the Minister responsible for Lands and Natural Resources.

According to the judgment:
1. Mr. Antwi-Boasiako permitted Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to undertake mining operations on the concession without ministerial approval required under Section 14(1) of Act 703.
2. He facilitated mining activities by persons who did not possess the requisite mining licences under Section 99(2)(b) of the Act.

The convictions also extend to Akonta Mining Company Limited. Co-accused Kwame Antwi, who faces similar charges, remains at large.

The six charges comprised three counts of assigning mineral rights without approval and three counts of purposely facilitating unlicensed mining operations.

Trial Evidence
The prosecution was led by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai with four witnesses, including Henry Okum, Michael Ayisi Gyedu, a Minerals Commission legal expert, and a police investigator.

Evidence from the Minerals Commission indicated there was no record of any application or ministerial approval authorizing the transfer or assignment of the concession.

Mr. Antwi-Boasiako pleaded not guilty when arraigned on October 7, 2025, and denied authorizing mining on the concession. He told the court Henry Okum had only been contracted for land reclamation and to establish a coconut plantation.

The defense also called former Deputy Lands Minister George Mireku-Duker and former Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah as witnesses.

Background To The Case
The prosecution arose from a special anti-illegal mining operation conducted by the Ghana Police Service in the Samreboi area in April 2025.

During the operation, authorities arrested 29 suspects and seized excavators, firearms, suspected gold materials, and GH¢157,000 in cash.