Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has reportedly been sentenced to 20 years in prison after the Accra High Court found him guilty of offences linked to illegal mining at the Samreboi concession in the Western Region.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay at the Criminal Division of the High Court shortly after 11:40 a.m. on Monday, July 20, 2026, brings to a close one of Ghana’s most high-profile prosecutions involving illegal mining.
In addition to the prison term, the court fined Bernard Antwi-Boasiako GH¢120,000, representing 10,000 penalty units. If the fine is not paid, he will serve an additional three-year prison sentence. The court ruled that the custodial sentence and the default prison term attached to the fine will run concurrently.
Justice Kocuvie-Tay convicted Mr Antwi-Boasiako on all six charges brought against him, including unlawfully assigning mineral rights without the required approval and deliberately facilitating an unlicensed mining operation in breach of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended.
The sentence falls within the legal punishment of between 15 and 25 years prescribed for the offences.
While the court handed Mr Antwi-Boasiako a custodial sentence, it took a different approach in dealing with Akonta Mining Company Limited, the company associated with him.
Rather than imposing a custodial punishment, the court ordered the company to pay a financial penalty after taking mitigating factors into account. As a result, the company avoided the prison sentence imposed on its controlling director.
Ahead of sentencing, counsel for Mr Antwi-Boasiako, led by Samuel Atta Akyea, appealed to the court for leniency.
The defence asked the court to impose the minimum 15-year sentence, arguing that Mr Antwi-Boasiako had shown remorse, cooperated with investigators and honoured every court appearance throughout the trial.
His lawyers also told the court that he had no previous criminal record and should be viewed as a family man who had made meaningful contributions to both his community and the nation.
Despite those submissions, the court settled on a 20-year prison term after considering arguments presented by both the prosecution and the defence.
Background
The prosecution stemmed from a police operation against illegal mining carried out at the Samreboi concession on April 16 and 17, 2025.
The exercise resulted in the arrest of Michael Ayisi Gyedu and 28 other suspects. Security personnel also seized 25 operational excavators, firearms, vehicles and GH¢157,000 in cash.
According to the prosecution, Mr Antwi-Boasiako, as the owner and controlling director of Akonta Mining Company Limited, allowed mining activities to be carried out on the concession without obtaining the mandatory approval of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
The defence rejected that claim, insisting Mr Antwi-Boasiako never sanctioned any mining on the concession. It argued that those working at the site had been engaged solely for land reclamation and coconut plantation projects.
The Republic has also applied for a forfeiture order covering the excavators, firearms, vehicles and cash seized during the operation.
The High Court is expected to rule on that application at a later date.
