The High Court in Accra, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, has found New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, guilty on all four counts in the Samreboi illegal mining case.
The court reading its judgement on Monday, July 20, 2026, convicted Chairman Wontumi on charges linked to mining activities at the Samreboi concession, including assigning mineral rights without the required approval. He was tried alongside Akonta Mining Company Limited and another accused person, Kwame Antwi, who is currently at large.
The judgment follows a trial in which the prosecution accused Mr Boasiako and his company of facilitating unlicensed mining operations and breaching provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act. The defence had maintained that Akonta Mining did not operate on the concession and that Mr Boasiako was not involved in any illegal mining activities.
The court’s decision came after it earlier dismissed an application by the defence seeking a deferment of the judgment. Justice Kocuvie-Tay subsequently proceeded with the reading of the judgment, resulting in the conviction of Chairman Wontumi on all four counts.
Sentencing and any further orders from the court are expected to follow.