From Buying Chelsea FC to Galamsey: The 'sins' of Chairman Wontumi

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi), is currently in the Nsawam Maximum Prison serving a 20-year jail sentence after he was found guilty in one of the numerous cases filed against him by the state.

Following Wontumi’s conviction and sentencing, which has put his aim of becoming the National Chair of his party in jeopardy, the public is divided over the cause of the legal troubles of the NPP stalwart.

While some hold that Wontumi’s prosecutions are justified and due to his own actions and inactions, others have insinuated that Wontumi is facing these troubles because of some allegations he made against proponents of the ruling National Democratic Party, including President John Dramani Mahama.

‘The official ‘sins’ of Wontumi

Officially, Chairman Wontumi is facing legal proceedings in three separate cases involving allegations of illegal mining, financial crimes and corruption-related offences, one of which has been completed and has landed him in prison for 20 years.

Illegal transfer of the Samreboi concession

The first case centres on alleged illegal mining activities linked to the Samreboi concession in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve in the Western Region, which has led to his conviction.

In the first case, Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining, were accused of the illegal transfer of his mining concession and were slapped with the following charges:

Count One: Wontumi, as the owner and controlling director of Akonta Mining Company Limited, was charged with assigning mineral rights without approval.

Prosecutors alleged that in 2024, he allowed Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to undertake mining operations within the company's concession without first obtaining the prior written approval of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.

Count Two: Kwame Antwi, a director of Akonta Mining who is currently at large, was charged with the same offence.

Count Three: Akonta Mining Company Limited was charged with the same offence for permitting the two individuals to undertake mining operations on its concession without ministerial approval.

Wontumi, Akonta Mining seek adjournment as Atta Akyea travels abroad

Counts Four, Five and Six: Wontumi, Kwame Antwi and Akonta Mining Company Limited were each charged with intentionally facilitating an unlicensed mining operation, contrary to Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended.

Illegal mining in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve:

The second case also has to do with illegal mining in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve.

It can be recalled that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service indicated that Chairman Wontumi is being investigated for alleged illegal mining activities, commonly referred to as galamsey.

In a press release dated May 26, 2025, the CID stated, "Following an invitation by the Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, reported at the CID Headquarters today, Monday, May 26, 2025, at midday to assist with investigations."

The statement outlined the allegations against Wontumi, which include "undertaking mining operations without a licence, pollution of water bodies, and entering a forest reserve without authorisation."

According to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, a joint operation by the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission led to the discovery of six illegal mining sites linked to Akonta Mining in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve in the South-Western Region of Ghana.

EXIM Bank Fraud Case:

In the third case, Wontumi and two others face charges related to an alleged fraud scheme that caused significant financial loss to the Ghana Export-Import (EXIM) Bank.

According to court documents and reports, the accused are alleged to have defrauded the bank of approximately GH¢14.3 million to GH¢30 million through actions including presenting a forged receipt, fraud, money laundering, and causing financial loss to a public institution.

Wontumi's legal team, led by lawyer Andy Appiah-Kubi, initiated the plea-bargaining process by writing to the Attorney General's office. The request was formally communicated to the court earlier in June 2026.

Both parties jointly sought time to explore a potential settlement under Ghana's plea-bargaining framework, which could involve a guilty plea in exchange for reduced charges, repayment with interest, or other terms.

Meanwhile, Wontumi, along with Wontumi Farms Limited and Thomas Antwi-Boasiako (who is reportedly on the run), have pleaded not guilty to the charges when the matter first came before the court on May 18, 2026.

The jail time Wontumi might get if his plea bargaining in the EXIM Bank case fails

The case stems from events around 2018 involving a loan or facility from EXIM Bank.

On June 18, 2026, the court, presided over by Justice Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, had previously adjourned the matter to allow initial plea talks.

Unofficial 'sins' of Wontumi:

Aside from the official accusation, several videos of past actions of Chairman Wontumi have found their way onto the internet, citing him for one offence or another, culminating in what many have termed as ‘sins’ he is now going to pay for.

Attacks on President Mahama and family

The Ashanti Regional chairman, when the NPP was in power, made some wild allegations against President Mahama.

He made allegations of infidelity and adultery against the current president.

He said that the president’s wife, First Lady Lordina Mahama, caught him in bed with their house help.

He even, alleged that Vice President Naana Opoku-Agyeman was secretly married to President Mahama.

Ah Chairman Wontumi pic.twitter.com/N6efMGZnco

— Dr Sneaker Nyame (@_sneakernyame) May 23, 2025

Attacks on Vice President Professor Opoku-Agyemang:

Chairman Wontumi also made other wild allegations against Ghana’s vice president.

Aside from claiming that Vice President Opoku-Agyeman was a secret wife of Mahama, he said she was also a “witch”.

He described the vice president as a “wicked woman”, who has “disappointed herself and Ghanaians”, hence cannot be made a vice president.

He even called her a witch pic.twitter.com/0C8iU4F7T4

— 😎 (@Bra_A001) May 28, 2025

1. Public display of gold bars

In September 2020, Chairman Wontumi shocked many Ghanaians when he flaunted his wealth live on air during a radio discussion on his Kumasi-based Wontumi Radio.

He pulled gold bars from a waist bag he had brought into the studio and claimed that his wealth came solely from gold mining.



Flaunting an ultra-luxury mansion

Chairman Wontumi also took to social media to showcase what he described as one of the biggest palace mansions in Africa, his personal residence under construction in Kumasi.

According to multiple reports, the project features more than 25 bedrooms, a large swimming pool and a car park designed to accommodate his luxury automobiles. He is reportedly believed to have spent more than $5 million on the property.

In a video that went viral, Wontumi gave two friends a private tour of the estate and boasted that his swimming pool would be the largest in the world, second only to an Olympic-sized pool.



Boastful bid for Chelsea Football Club

Chairman Wontumi made international headlines in 2022 when he announced a $3.1 billion bid to purchase English football giant Chelsea FC amid the club's ownership crisis.

In a letter submitted to the club, he expressed his readiness to negotiate and even promised to bring global stars such as Vinicius Jr., Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the team.

"Those who buy clubs are not footballers but business people. I am also a businessman. I do gold mining. Why can't we buy the club?" he argued on Wontumi TV.



GH¢50 million COCOBOD payment

The Ashanti Regional NPP chairman also faces an allegation of undue payment of GH¢50 million by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) against him.

A report by ChannelOne TV, on May 27, 2025, indicated that the payment was made to Hallmark Civil Engineering, a company owned by Wontumi, in the last days of the erstwhile Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government after the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, had barred contract payments during the transition period.

"We are being told that this payment was done in the dying days of the NPP during the transition to the NDC, and at that time, the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, had issued a warning to state agencies to stop all payments,” ChannelOne TV's Charles Owusu Kumi said in the video report.

Wontumi has, however, refuted the allegation of undue payment, stating that he has not directly received any amount of money from COCOBOD.

I nearly felt sad for Wontumi till I saw this. Raymond should press him more 😂😂😂pic.twitter.com/7sNjdmwU5K

— Berry ☯︎🦍🥷 (@fanti_boy) May 28, 2025