The High Court in Accra has sentenced New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi,
The High Court in Accra has sentenced New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years’ imprisonment after finding him guilty of offences relating to the unauthorised assignment of mining rights and facilitating unauthorised mining operations.
Delivering sentence, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay said the relevant provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act were enacted to combat the growing menace of illegal mining and must be strictly enforced.
The judge noted that although Chairman Wontumi was a first-time offender, the seriousness of the offences warranted a custodial sentence.
On Counts One and Four, the court sentenced Chairman Wontumi to 20 years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units on each count, with a default custodial sentence of three years should he fail to pay the fines.
The court ordered that the custodial sentences on both counts run concurrently.
COMMENTS