The Accra High Court has ordered the arrest of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and owner of Akonta Mining Company Limited, after he failed to appear for a scheduled hearing.
Popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, he is facing charges for allegedly allowing two individuals to conduct mining activities on his company’s concession without securing the required authorization from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
The case was set for a management conference at 9:40 a.m., presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tay, with both state prosecutors and defense counsel expected to attend. However, neither the accused nor his lawyer showed up for the proceedings.
In response, Justice Kocuvi-Tay issued a bench warrant for his arrest, stating, “Having not given any notice to the court as to their absence, a bench warrant is issued for the arrest of the accused persons.”
According to a report, Chairman Wontumi later appeared in court around 10:15 a.m., but the warrant remains active until the presiding judge, who is currently on recess, officially withdraws it.
