An Accra High Court has convicted NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, on all six illegal mining charges.

Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay convicted Mr Antwi-Boasiako of unlawfully assigning mineral rights and purposely facilitating unlicensed mining operations, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended. The court is yet to impose a sentence, with each count carrying a maximum penalty of 25 years' imprisonment.

Before delivering the judgment, the court dismissed an application by the defence seeking to defer the ruling and refer aspects of the case to the Supreme Court for constitutional interpretation. Justice Kocuvie-Tay ruled that the application lacked merit despite submissions by defence counsel that lead lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea was out of the country and expected back on July 22.

The court held that the prosecution proved Mr Antwi-Boasiako, as owner and controlling director of Akonta Mining Company Limited, allowed mining activities to be carried out on the Samreboi concession without obtaining the prior written approval of the Minister responsible for Lands and Natural Resources.

According to the judgment, Mr Antwi-Boasiako permitted Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to undertake mining operations on the concession without the ministerial approval required under Section 14(1) of Act 703. The court further found that he facilitated mining activities by persons who did not possess the requisite mining licences under Section 99(2)(b) of the Act.

The convictions also extend to Akonta Mining Company Limited, while co-accused Kwame Antwi, who faces similar charges, remains at large. The six charges comprised three counts of assigning mineral rights without approval and three counts of purposely facilitating unlicensed mining operations against the accused persons.

During the trial, Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai led four prosecution witnesses, including Henry Okum, Michael Ayisi Gyedu, a Minerals Commission legal expert and a police investigator. Evidence from the Minerals Commission indicated there was no record of any application or ministerial approval authorising the transfer or assignment of the concession.

Mr Antwi-Boasiako, who pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on October 7, 2025, denied throughout the trial that he had authorised mining on the concession. He maintained that Henry Okum had only been contracted to undertake land reclamation and establish a coconut plantation, not to engage in mining. The defence also called former Deputy Lands Minister George Mireku-Duker and former Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah as witnesses.

The prosecution arose from a special anti-illegal mining operation conducted by the Ghana Police Service in the Samreboi area in April 2025, during which authorities arrested 29 suspects and seized excavators, firearms, suspected gold materials and GH¢157,000 in cash.