Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Kenneth Ashigbey, has dismissed as false claims that his alleged relationship with High Court judge Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay influenced the conviction of NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

In a press statement issued on Monday, July 21, 2026, Ashigbey described as fabricated reports attributing to him the statement that he was certain Wontumi would be jailed because the judge was his relative. "I never made that statement. It is false," he said, adding that the quote circulating on social media and other platforms was entirely fabricated.

Ashigbey further clarified that the July 20, 2026 ruling in the Republic v Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias Wontumi, Kwame Antwi (at large) and Akonta Mining Company Limited case was unrelated to a separate petition he filed together with Martin Kpebu, Edem Senanu and Dr Kwame Asiedu.

According to him, the petition remains pending before a different court and has not yet been heard on its merits. He argued that attempts to associate the petition with the concluded criminal case were a deliberate effort to mislead the public.

Addressing allegations of a conflict of interest, Ashigbey maintained that he had no direct involvement in the case that resulted in Wontumi's conviction and sentencing. "I was not a party to the case that was ruled on. I had no direct interest in it. In the circumstances, there could not have been any conflict-of-interest situation," he stated.

He also cautioned against dragging judges and their families into public commentary aimed at discrediting court decisions, saying such actions undermine public confidence in Ghana's justice system. "The judiciary must be allowed to do its work," he stressed.

Reaffirming his long-standing position on illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, Ashigbey said his advocacy since 2017 has consistently called for individuals who organise, finance and profit from the activity to face the maximum punishment permitted by law.

He urged the public to ignore what he described as inaccurate claims and instead focus on the substantive issues surrounding the fight against illegal mining.

Background and Context

The claims followed the July 20, 2026 conviction of NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison by an Accra High Court for galamsey-related offences involving Akonta Mining Company Limited. The court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, found him guilty in a case concerning alleged unlawful mining activities on the company’s concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.

The conviction has generated widespread public debate, with political actors and commentators weighing in on the judgment. It was during these discussions that claims emerged alleging that Kenneth Ashigbey’s purported relationship with the trial judge influenced the outcome.