Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has urged the High Court to acquit and discharge him in a case in which he is accused of allowing two individuals to mine on his concession without ministerial approval.
Presenting a submission of no case, his counsel, Andy Appiah-Kubi, argued that the Attorney-General (A-G) had failed to adduce sufficient evidence to justify calling the accused and his company to open their defence.
“Having regard to the evidence adduced by the prosecution and the essential elements of the offences charged, it is respectfully submitted that the prosecution has woefully failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused persons on all six counts.
“The prosecution’s case suffers from fundamental and fatal deficiencies, both in terms of the absence of evidence on essential elements and in terms of the quality and reliability of the evidence adduced,” counsel submitted.
The Attorney-General charged Chairman Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining Company Ltd, with six counts of permitting Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to mine on the company’s concession without obtaining prior approval from the sector minister, as well as facilitating unlicensed mining.
The prosecution called four witnesses to support its case.
Michael Gyedu Ayisi testified that he is a miner who partnered with Henry Okum to operate on Akonta Mining Company Limited’s concession.
Okum, he said, claimed he had permission from Chairman Wontumi to carry out mining activities, and they worked on the concession until their arrest.
Under cross-examination, Ayisi admitted he had never met or communicated with Chairman Wontumi and did not possess a mining licence, nor had he applied for one.
He further acknowledged he had no written agreement with the accused persons and had not paid any fee for permission to mine.
