The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has filed witness statements to begin his defence in the ongoing illegal mining trial linked to activities on his Samreboi concession in the Western Region.
Chairman Wontumi is expected to call former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, as one of his witnesses when the case resumes before the High Court on May 14, 2026.
Appearing before the court, counsel for Chairman Wontumi, Andy Appiah-Kubi, disclosed that the defence had submitted three witness statements in line with the court’s directive for the accused persons to open their defence.
The statements were filed by Chairman Wontumi, Mr Duker, and Wisdom Edem Gomashie.
The defence also tendered several supporting documents, including the lease agreement of Akonta Mining Company Limited, correspondence to the Regional Security Council, and investigative cautionary statements.
According to the defence team, Mr Gomashie will be the first witness to testify when proceedings resume next week.
Chairman Wontumi and his company are facing six charges over allegations that they allowed Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to undertake mining activities on the Akonta Mining concession without prior approval from the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
The prosecution further claims the accused facilitated illegal mining activities on the concession.
He has been specifically charged with assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval and deliberately facilitating unlicensed mining operations, contrary to provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
In March this year, the High Court ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the accused persons and ordered them to file witness statements if they intended to mount a defence.
The defence later filed a submission of no case application challenging the ruling, but the court dismissed the request.
Chairman Wontumi subsequently proceeded to the Court of Appeal to challenge the High Court’s decision directing him to open his defence.
An application for stay of proceedings pending the appeal was also dismissed, allowing the substantive trial to continue.
