Accra High Court Rejects Chairman Wontumi’s Bid for Additional Prosecutorial Disclosures in Mining Case
The Accra High Court has dismissed an application by lawyers for Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi and Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), seeking further disclosures from state prosecutors in his ongoing criminal trial over alleged illegal mining activities.
The defence argued that the requested documents were crucial for preparing their case effectively.
The matter had been adjourned on November 25, 2025, after lead counsel Andy Appiah-Kubi notified the court of their intent to file the formal request.
During Monday’s proceedings on December 8, both sides presented their arguments, with Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem Sai pressing the court to reject the application.
Presiding Judge Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ultimately ruled in favor of the prosecution, striking out the request entirely.
In remarks to journalists following the ruling, Mr. Appiah-Kubi expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating it bolstered their belief that the prosecution lacked the documents in question.
“The court’s decision reinforces our conviction that they don’t have what they’re claiming,” he said, adding that the team viewed the verdict as aligning with their anticipations.
Chairman Wontumi faces six criminal counts filed by the Office of the Attorney-General in October 2025 at the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra.
He is charged alongside Kwame Antwi and his company, Akonta Mining Limited, for alleged breaches of Ghana’s mining regulations under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
The charges stem from unauthorized mining operations at Samreboi in the Western Region, part of broader efforts to combat illegal galamsey activities that have devastated forests and water bodies nationwide.
The case highlights escalating enforcement against high-profile figures amid President John Dramani Mahama’s administration’s renewed crackdown on small-scale mining violations.
Trial proceedings are set to continue, with the defence preparing to challenge the prosecution’s evidence on substantive grounds.
