Bernard Antwi-Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi
The Operations Manager of Akonta Mining, Kwadwo Owusu Bempah, who is accused of abetting Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi, was yesterday admitted to a bail of GH¢10 million with three sureties, one to be justified.
The accused, who is said to be on the run since the filing of charges against him and his boss, was arrested by law enforcement agencies and dragged before the court yesterday in handcuffs.
He pleaded not guilty to three counts of undertaking mining without a licence, abetting the unauthorised felling of trees in the forest reserve and abetting unauthorised erecting of structures in the forest.
He pleaded not guilty to all three charges and his lawyer, Andrew Vortia, pleaded with the court to grant him bail pending the trial.
The prosecution, led by Nana Ama Prempeh, a Senior State Attorney, did not oppose the grant of bail but urged the court to impose terms that will compel the accused to avail himself for the trial.
Justice Ruby Aryeetey, the presiding judge, admitted Kwadwo Owusu Bempah to a bail of GH¢10 million with three sureties, one of whom must be justified with landed property.
He was further ordered to deposit his passport with the registrar of the court. Meanwhile, the prosecution has indicated that it would be amending the charge by the next court date.
Trial
Wontumi, his company Akonta Mining, as well as two others were accused of “extreme environmental destruction, including the devastation of approximately 13 hectares of land,” in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve with illegal mining activities.
The facts state that despite his company having licence to mine, its application to mine in the forest reserve was refused in August 2022. That notwithstanding, the company allegedly undertook the mining activities.
“To provide housing for the teeming number of persons working for it, A1 (Akonta Mining) put up several makeshift structures across the Forest Reserve,” the facts allege.
The court has already granted Wontumi a bail of GH¢10 million with three sureties, one of whom must be justified with landed property.
This was after he pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
They were ordered to deposit their travel documents with the registrar of the court and report to the investigator once every other week.
Wontumi and the other accused persons are facing a minimum of 15 years in prison and up to 25 years if found guilty on the charges levelled against them.
In November last year, the Attorney General (AG), Dr. Dominic Ayine, dropped all charges against Edward Akuoko, the General Manager of Akonta Mining, who was charged alongside Wontumi for alleged illegal mining and related offences.
The AG now intends to use him as a key witness, as he seeks to secure the conviction of Wontumi, his company and others who are accused of unlawfully entering and undertaking mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve without legal authority.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak