The years of jail time Wontumi could get if convicted in the Samreboi case

The High Court in Accra, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, has set Friday, July 3, 2026, for the delivery of judgment in the Samreboi case involving the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and two others.

This follows the closure of the case after the completion of the cross-examination of both the witnesses of the prosecution and the accused persons.

The charges against Wontumi in the Samreboi case:

The NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman is accused of facilitating illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri or Tano Nimri Forest in Samreboi in the Western Region.

Basically, he was slapped with six charges in this case, namely:

Chairman Wontumi rearrested

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

2. 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).

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

4. 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).

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

So, what punishment would Wontumi get for all these crimes if he is found guilty?

Possible sentences for the crimes stated above:

1. For the crime of undertaking mining operations without a licence, Wontumi faces a jail term of not less than 15 years and not more than 25 years.

2. For the crime of felling trees in a forest reserve without a licence, he faces a prison term of not more than two years.

3. He will also be required to “pay to the Commissioner responsible for Lands twice the commercial value of each tree or of the timber or forest produce which is the subject matter of the offence.”

Wontumi, Akonta Mining, director slapped with 6 criminal charges

4. For abetting the unauthorised felling of trees, he faces a prison term of not more than two years.

5. He will also be required to “pay to the Commissioner responsible for Lands twice the commercial value of each tree or of the timber or forest produce which is the subject matter of the offence.”

6. He faces the same punishment for “erecting buildings in a forest reserve without a licence” and “abetting unauthorised erection of buildings in a forest reserve.”

Total prison term:

If Wontumi is found guilty of all the crimes he has been charged with and is given the maximum sanctions by the court, he is expected to serve the jail time for the crimes concurrently.

This means that Chairman Wontumi is likely to serve a prison term of 25 years maximum if he is convicted of all the crimes he has been charged with.

BAI

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