The Accra High Court has convicted Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, on all six charges linked to illegal mining activities at the Samreboi concession in Ghana’s Western Region.
The court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, found Mr Antwi-Boasiako guilty of unlawfully assigning mineral rights and purposely facilitating unlicensed mining operations under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703). The conviction marks a major development in one of Ghana’s most closely watched illegal mining cases involving a senior political figure.
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What happened in the Chairman Wontumi illegal mining case
Justice Kocuvie-Tay ruled that the prosecution had proven its case against Mr Antwi-Boasiako, who is the owner and controlling director of Akonta Mining Company Limited.
The court found that he allowed mining activities to take place on the Samreboi concession without the required written approval from the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
The charges related to the assignment of mineral rights without approval and facilitating mining operations by persons who did not hold valid licences.
The six charges involved Mr Antwi-Boasiako, Akonta Mining Company Limited and Kwame Antwi, who remains at large.
They include:
- Assignment of mineral rights without approval against Bernard Antwi-Boasiako.
- Assignment of mineral rights without approval against Kwame Antwi.
- Assignment of mineral rights without approval against Akonta Mining Company Limited.
- Purposely facilitating an unlicensed mining operation against Bernard Antwi-Boasiako.
- Purposely facilitating an unlicensed mining operation against Kwame Antwi.
- Purposely facilitating an unlicensed mining operation against Akonta Mining Company Limited.
Each count carries a possible maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, although the court is yet to announce the sentence.
How the case unfolded
Mr Antwi-Boasiako pleaded not guilty to all charges when he was arraigned on October 7, 2025, and consistently denied authorising illegal mining activities on the concession.
The case followed a special police anti-illegal mining operation conducted in Samreboi on April 16 and 17, 2025, which led to the arrest of Michael Ayisi Gyedu and 28 others.
Authorities seized excavators, firearms, suspected gold materials and GH¢157,000 in cash during the operation.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai, called four witnesses, including Henry Okum, Michael Ayisi Gyedu, a mineral law expert and a police investigator.
Henry Okum told the court that he approached Mr Antwi-Boasiako in September 2024 seeking permission to undertake mining activities on the concession and was allowed to proceed.
A Senior Manager for Legal Affairs at the Minerals Commission, Joseph Iroko, also testified that the Commission had no record of an application or ministerial approval authorising the assignment or transfer of the concession.
The development comes amid continued national debates over illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, and government efforts to strengthen enforcement against activities blamed for environmental damage across Ghana.
AudityNews previously reported on Ghana’s intensified fight against illegal mining and the legal actions involving individuals accused of violating mining regulations.
What happens next after the conviction
Following the guilty verdict, the court is expected to hear the Republic’s application for the forfeiture of items retrieved from the concession, including excavators, firearms, vehicles and the seized cash.
The court will also proceed to determine Mr Antwi-Boasiako’s sentence.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako and the other accused persons retain the right to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal and, subsequently, the Supreme Court.
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