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 related to illegal mining activities at the Samreboi concession in the Western Region.
Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, who presided over the Criminal Division of the High Court, found Mr Antwi-Boasiako guilty of unlawfully assigning mineral rights and intentionally facilitating unlicensed mining operations contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended.
The ruling concludes one of Ghana’s most politically significant illegal mining cases, given Mr Antwi-Boasiako’s position within the NPP and his public profile.
The court held that the prosecution had proven that Mr Antwi-Boasiako, as owner and controlling director of Akonta Mining Company Limited, allowed mining activities to take place on the Samreboi concession without the required approval from the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
Justice Kocuvie-Tay said Mr Antwi-Boasiako permitted Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to conduct mining operations on the concession without obtaining prior written approval required under Section 14(1) of Act 703.
The court further found that he facilitated mining activities by persons who did not possess licences issued by the Minister, in breach of Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act.
Six charges
The charges involved Mr Antwi-Boasiako, Akonta Mining Company Limited and Kwame Antwi, who remains at large.
They were:
- 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 charge carries a possible maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment. The court is yet to announce the sentence.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako, who was arraigned on October 7, 2025, pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintained his innocence throughout the trial.
Background to case
The case followed a police anti-illegal mining operation conducted at the Samreboi concession on April 16 and 17, 2025.
The operation led to the arrest of Michael Ayisi Gyedu and 28 others, with authorities seizing excavators, firearms, suspected gold materials and cash amounting to GH¢157,000.
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.
Okum told the court that he approached Mr Antwi-Boasiako in September 2024 seeking permission to undertake mining operations on the concession and was granted approval to proceed.
However, Joseph Iroko, a Senior Manager for Legal Affairs at the Minerals Commission, testified that records at the Commission contained no application or ministerial approval authorising the assignment or transfer of the concession.
Defence case
After the prosecution closed its case, the court dismissed a submission of no case filed by the defence, ruling that sufficient evidence had been presented for Mr Antwi-Boasiako to open his defence.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako later testified and denied authorising mining activities on the concession.
He told the court that Henry Okum had only been contracted for land reclamation and a coconut plantation project, rather than mining.
The defence called former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources George Mireku-Duker and former Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah as witnesses.
The Republic has also filed an application seeking the forfeiture of items retrieved from the concession, including excavators, firearms, vehicles and the GH¢157,000 cash seized during the operation.
The court is expected to determine the forfeiture application and proceed with sentencing.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako and the other accused persons have the right to appeal the decision at the Court of Appeal and subsequently the Supreme Court.
