Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Wontumi
A High Court in Accra yesterday turned down a request by lawyers for embattled Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Wontumi, to order the Attorney General to disclose certain documents in his ongoing trial for allegedly facilitating others to mine on his concession without permit.
The lawyers had filed an application requesting the Attorney General to furnish them with a deed of assignment regarding the concession, a written agreement between Wontumi and another person, and documentation to a weapon allegedly confiscated at the mining site by law enforcement officers.
Andy Appiah-Kubi, lead counsel for Wontumi, in moving the application yesterday, argued that the disclosure of these documents will assist the accused and his legal team in preparing a defence.
The application was opposed by Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, who argued that the documents requested for are not relevant to the case before the court and there was no indication by the defence team that the documents form part of exculpatory evidence.
He further argued that the documents requested are not in the possession of the prosecution, adding that “there is no charge on ammunition, its possession or use.”
Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, the trial judge, in a ruling held that there was no justification for the request of the documents by the accused.
“Secondly, prosecution has indicated that they do not have these documents and are unable to procure same. Accordingly, the application is dismissed,” she added.
The court has adjourned the case to December 15, 2025, for case management.
Meanwhile, Justice Kocuvie-Tay has revised one of Wontumi’s bail condition — he reporting to the court registrar instead of the case investigator.
This follows the court’s observation that the investigator has not filed a single report detailing the accused person reporting to him as ordered by the court as part of the bail conditions.
Disclosures
The Office of the Attorney General has filed witness statement for the four witnesses it intends to call, to establish the guilt of Wontumi and two others.
The NPP official is on trial on allegations he permitted other individuals to undertake mining on his Akonta Mining concession at Samreboi in the Western Region without a written approval from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
He has been charged with one count of assignment of mineral rights without approval, and another count of purposely facilitating an unlicenced mining operation, contrary to Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) as amended by Section 3 of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
His company, Akonta Mining and another person identified as Kwame Antwi, who is on the run, have been charged with the same offences.
He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was granted a bail of GH¢15 million by the court.
He is to provide three sureties, two of whom must be justified with landed property within the jurisdiction.
Wontumi was further ordered to deposit his passport(s) with the registrar of the court. The court has also placed him on the Stop List at all entry points of the country.
The prosecution’s brief fact indicates that the police had arrested Michael Ayisi Gyasi, a 50-year-old and 28 others within Akonta Mining’s concession in Samreboi on April 17, 2025, following an operation.
During the arrest, the police retrieved several items, including eight (8) pump action guns, one (1) single-barreled gun, five (5) pieces of metal suspected to be gold concealed in a sachet, four (4) machetes, several water pumping machines, 310 AAA/BB cartridges, and one (1) grease gun.
Others include four (4) motorcycles, two (2) vehicles, 25 serviceable excavators, four (4) non-serviceable excavators and GH¢157,000 cash.
The prosecution says it will pray the court at the end of the trial for a forfeiture order in respect of all items of value retrieved from the concession.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak