The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Bosiakwo, also known as Chairman Wontumi, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted by an Accra High Court in connection with illegal mining activities on the Samreboi concession of Akonta Mining Limited in the Western Region.
Chairman Wontumi, his company Akonta Mining Limited, and a third accused person, Kwame Antwi, who remains at large were prosecuted under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
The Samreboi case was part of a growing number of cases under the government’s Operation All Loot (ORAL) anti-corruption initiative.
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Specific charges against Wontumi and others
Count One charges Wontumi, as the owner and controlling director of Akonta Mining Company Limited, with assignment of mineral rights without approval. Prosecutors allege that in 2024, he permitted Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to undertake mining operations within the company’s concession without first obtaining the prior written approval of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
Count Two levies the same offence against Kwame Antwi, a director of Akonta Mining who is currently at large.
Count Three charges Akonta Mining Company Limited itself with the same offence, alleging that the company permitted the two individuals to undertake mining operations on its concession without ministerial approval.
Counts Four, Five and Six charge Wontumi, Kwame Antwi and Akonta Mining respectively with purposely facilitating an unlicensed mining operation, contrary to Section 99(2)(b) of Act 703 as amended.
The court found Wontumi guilty on Counts One and Four, while Akonta Mining Limited was convicted on Counts Three and Six.
The convictions followed the court’s dismissal of a last-minute application by Wontumi’s lawyers to delay judgment and refer constitutional questions to the Supreme Court.
In addition to the prison sentence, Wontumi was fined GHC 120,000.
What next for Wontumi’s party ambitions?
For now, his ambition to be elected as national chairman of the NPP remains unlikely to be realised. The party is set to hold national executive elections in September.