The Accra High Court has adjourned the two illegal mining cases involving the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, to November 12 and December 4, 2025.

He is expected to appear in court on the set dates with his lawyers for the continuation of the trials, in which he has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Details of second case that led to Chairman Wontumi's rearrest

According to a citinewsroom.com report, the adjournment followed a request from the prosecution for time to serve the defence with the necessary disclosures.

Chairman Wontumi has been slapped with several criminal charges for his alleged involvement in illegal mining (galamsey) in two separate cases.

First Case

In the first case, Chairman Wontumi, together with his company, Akonta Mining, and its director, Kwame Antwi, are facing six charges.

The charge sheet showed that Wontumi and the other accused persons had been charged with three counts of assigning mineral rights without the necessary approval, as well as three counts of facilitating an unlicensed mining operation.

"Statement of Offence: Assignment of mineral rights without approval, contrary to Section 14(1) and Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Section 3 of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).

"Particulars of Offence: BERNARD ANTWI-BOASIAKO, alias WONTUMI, 49 years old, entrepreneur; that you, in the year 2024, in Samreboi in the Western Region and within the jurisdiction of this Court, being the owner and controlling director of AKONTA MINING COMPANY LIMITED, did, without first obtaining the prior written approval of the Minister, permit HENRY OKUM and MICHAEL GYEDU AYISI to undertake a mining operation within the mining concession which was granted to the said AKONTA MINING COMPANY LIMITED only," part of the document reads.

Wontumi pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against him by the state and was granted bail in the sum of GH¢15 million with three sureties by the High Court in Accra.

Second Case

In the second case, Wontumi and four other accused persons are facing multiple charges, namely:

Two counts of undertaking mining operations without a licence, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).

One count of felling trees in a forest reserve without a licence, contrary to Section 1(a) of the Forest Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002 (Act 624).

One count of abetting unauthorised felling of trees, contrary to Section 1(a) of the Forest Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002 (Act 624).

One count of erecting buildings in a forest reserve without a licence, contrary to Section 1(b) of the Forest Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002 (Act 624).

Chairman Wontumi rearrested

One count of abetting unauthorised erection of buildings, contrary to Section 1(b) of the Forest Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002 (Act 624).

Wontumi was granted bail of GH¢10 million with two sureties, one of which must be justified with landed property.

MAG/SEA

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