Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining plead not guilty to charges in court

Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has denied allegations linking him to illegal mining operations.

His company, Akonta Mining Limited, also pleaded not guilty when both appeared before the High Court in Accra on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

Presiding over the case, Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tay heard Chairman Wontumi, who appeared as the first accused person, also represent Akonta Mining, listed as the third accused on the charge sheet. The charges were filed under Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and its 2019 amendment (Act 995), which regulate mineral rights and mining operations in the country.

Prosecutors accuse Chairman Wontumi of unlawfully assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval and facilitating an unlicensed mining operation in the Western Region. Both offenses contravene Sections 14(1) and 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act.

Akonta Mining Company Limited is also accused of similar offenses — assigning mineral rights without approval and purposely aiding illegal mining activities. The prosecution claims that in 2024, the company, under Wontumi’s direction, allowed two individuals, identified as Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi, to conduct mining within its Samreboi concession without prior written authorization from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.

The alleged actions, according to state prosecutors, violate key provisions designed to protect Ghana’s natural environment and ensure accountability in the mining sector. The case forms part of a broader national crackdown on galamsey — the illegal mining menace blamed for devastating farmlands, polluting water bodies, and threatening local livelihoods.

Both Chairman Wontumi and Akonta Mining maintain their innocence and have vowed to contest the charges in court. Their defense team insists that all mining operations undertaken by the company were conducted lawfully and in compliance with relevant regulations.

The trial has attracted nationwide interest due to Chairman Wontumi’s political prominence and the public scrutiny surrounding Akonta Mining’s past activities.

The case has been adjourned for continuation as the prosecution prepares to present its evidence in the coming sittings.