The High Court in Accra has adjourned the second galamsey case involving the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to July 31, 2026.
The case, which involves alleged illegal mining activities in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, was called on Wednesday, two days after Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour in the Samreboi galamsey case.
Wontumi was brought to the court premises under heavy security by officers of the Ghana Prison Service from the Nsawam Medium Security Prison where he is currently serving his sentence.
He appeared in his prison uniform, looking composed but pensive, as proceedings commenced.
The case before the court presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay relates to charges of assignment of mineral right without approval and facilitating unlawful small-scale mining in a forest reserve, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2019 (Act 995).
When the case was called, counsel for the accused, led by Lawyer Andy Appiah-Kubi, informed the court that they had just been served with additional disclosures by the prosecution and would need time to study the documents.
The prosecution, led by a State Attorney from the Office of the Attorney-General, did not oppose the request for a short adjournment but told the court that the State is ready to proceed with the trial.
The presiding judge subsequently adjourned the matter to July 31, 2026, for Case Management Conference and possible commencement of trial.
She ordered that the accused person should continue to remain in prison custody and be produced by the Ghana Prison Service on the next adjourned date.
Background
Chairman Wontumi was on Monday sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour after the court found him guilty of facilitating unlawful mining and illegally assigning his company’s mineral right to third parties to mine in the Samreboi area.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of all excavators and equipment seized from the site to the State.
The Tano Nimiri case, which is the second case, is in respect of similar allegations relating to activities in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western North Region, where Akonta Mining Limited, a company belonging to the convict, is alleged to have invaded protected forest.
The case is expected to be heard on a daily basis after the Case Management Conference.
