Wontumi's Galamsey Case: State presents two more witnesses

The state has presented two additional witnesses in the trial of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, who is being prosecuted for allegedly engaging in illegal mining (galamsey) activities.

Speaking to the media after court proceedings on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, explained that the case could not proceed as scheduled due to the new development.

He said his team must review the witness statements presented by the state; hence, the case has been adjourned to Thursday, November 27, 2025.

“The Attorney General served us with fresh witness statements today, two more witnesses. This means we need time to study them before we return to court. So, the matter has been adjourned to the 27th of November for the Case Management Conference (CMC). The business of the day, which was the CMC, didn’t happen today,” he said.

Appiah-Kubi, a former Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, added that the state now has four witnesses who will testify against his client.

“The Attorney General initially suggested five witnesses, but from the records, we only have four witness statements. We brought that to the court’s attention, and after reconciling the records, we have agreed that there will be four witnesses,” he clarified.

Watch as Chairman Wontumi arrives at Accra High Court for trial

The state has filed two separate cases against the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman.

In the first case, the state has charged Wontumi, his company, Akonta Mining Limited, and the company’s director, Kwame Antwi, with six criminal offences. The charge sheet indicates that the accused face three counts of assigning mineral rights without the necessary approval and three counts of facilitating an unlicensed mining operation.

In the second case, Wontumi and four others — Edward Akuoko, Owusu Bempah, and Kwame Antwi (the Director of Akonta Mining Limited, who remains at large) — were charged with seven criminal offences.

The four were accused of conducting illegal mining activities in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve.

The state later dropped the charges against Edward Akuoko after he agreed to serve as a prosecution witness.

BAI/MA

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