The Accra High Court has directed Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to open his defence in the ongoing trial related to alleged illegal mining activities on a concession at Samreboi in the Western Region. According to #GhanaNews, the court’s decision follows the dismissal of a submission of no case filed by Chairman Wontumi’s lawyers.
Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Chairman Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining Company Limited, requiring them to respond to the allegations. The prosecution had called four witnesses, including an artisanal miner who testified that he worked on the concession under the direction of Henry Okum, a licensed small-scale miner.
The defence had argued that the prosecution failed to prove the essential elements of the charges, but the court disagreed, stating that the evidence presented created a rebuttable presumption that the accused persons may have committed the offences. Chairman Wontumi, who is the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is facing charges alongside Akonta Mining and another individual, Kwame Antwi, who is currently at large.
The prosecution alleges that the accused persons unlawfully transferred or assigned mineral rights over the Samreboi concession without approval from the Minister responsible for Lands and Natural Resources. The trial is expected to continue on March 26, 2026, when Chairman Wontumi will begin presenting his defence.
Author: Korkor Anumu
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