Wontumi’s boy ditches him for A-G, cases adjourned

The twin criminal cases involving the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, have taken new legal turns as the High Court in Accra adjourned both hearings to November 12 and December 4, respectively.

The adjournments follow recent developments in the prosecution’s strategy, including the withdrawal of charges against one of the accused, who has now become a state witness.

The first of the two cases concerns allegations that Chairman Wontumi permitted illegal mining operations at his Samreboi concession without the requisite regulatory approvals.

The case, which was scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, November 4, was adjourned to November 12 after state prosecutors requested more time to serve the defense team with necessary disclosures and documentation.

In the second case, Wontumi is accused of authorizing large-scale illegal mining activities within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve — a protected area — in the Western North Region. That hearing was postponed to December 4 due to the presiding judge being on leave.

These legal proceedings come in the wake of a significant prosecutorial decision by the Office of the Attorney General (AG), which on Monday formally withdrew all charges against Edward Akuoko, the General Manager of Akonta Mining Limited — the company owned by Chairman Wontumi.

The decision, filed under Section 59 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), was signed by the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai, and clears Akuoko to serve as a key witness for the state in the ongoing prosecution.

Background

The cases against Chairman Wontumi and Akonta Mining stem from a 2022 investigation into alleged illegal mining operations within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.

The probe was triggered after petitions from the Forestry Commission and environmental watchdog groups accused Akonta Mining of operating in protected areas despite lacking the necessary environmental and mining licenses.

According to the charge sheet, Akonta Mining — incorporated in 2010 and co-owned by Wontumi and one Kwame Antwi — had initially secured leases to operate at Samreboi and Abekoase.

However, a later request to extend operations into the Tano Nimiri Reserve was rejected in August 2022. Despite this denial, prosecutors say the company proceeded to move heavy-duty excavators and equipment into the forest and began full-scale mining activities.

Investigators discovered over 40 excavators operating illegally within the forest, as well as the erection of unauthorized structures, including checkpoints and housing for mine workers.

Reports from the Forestry Commission described the environmental damage as “severe,” with approximately 13 hectares of forest destroyed and sections of the Tano River contaminated with silt and chemicals.

The Armed Confrontation

The case file also references an incident on August 17, 2022, when a joint task force made up of Forestry Commission officials, staff from Samartex Timber and Plywood Company, and journalists visited the illegal mining site.

During the operation, some Akonta Mining equipment was seized.

However, as the task force attempted to leave, they were reportedly confronted by an armed group allegedly led by Edward Akuoko and Operations Manager Kwadwo Owusu Bempah.

The group is said to have forced the team to release the confiscated machinery at gunpoint, a development that heightened national attention on the case and led to the eventual arrests of some of the accused persons.

Meanwhile, with the AG’s office turning Edward Akuoko into a prosecution witness, legal analysts say the state’s case could gain significant strength, especially regarding insider evidence about the chain of command and operational directives within Akonta Mining.

Political And Environmental Implications

The Wontumi-Akonta saga has reignited national debate about political influence in illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey.

The NPP regional chairman’s involvement, given his stature and proximity to government, has drawn sharp criticism from civil society and opposition parties, who accuse the ruling establishment of selective enforcement of anti-galamsey laws.

Environmental groups, including A Rocha Ghana and the Ghana Environmental Advocacy Council, have also called for expedited trial, arguing that the case represents a “test of the state’s commitment to ending galamsey irrespective of political connections.”