The Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra has given Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, a final opportunity to file his witness statements in the alleged Samreboi illegal mining case.
Presiding judge Justice Audrey Kocouvi-Tey issued the order after the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party failed to meet an April 14, 2026 deadline.
Chairman Wontumi is standing trial over allegations that he permitted mining activities on his Akonta Mining concession in Samreboi without authorisation.
At the close of the prosecution’s case, the court directed him to open his defence and choose between testifying in person, calling witnesses, or making an unsworn statement. He was initially ordered to file his witness statements by March 16, 2026.
Instead, Wontumi filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal against the dismissal of his submission of no case and subsequently applied to the trial court to halt proceedings pending the outcome of that appeal.
The application for a stay of proceedings was denied, and he was given until April 14, 2026, to file his witness statements ahead of a case management conference.
When the case was called on Monday, April 20, for the case management conference, his lawyer, Andy Appiah Kubi, told the court that a repeat application seeking a stay of proceedings had been filed at the Court of Appeal. He requested an adjournment until a ruling is reached.
Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem-Sai opposed the request, describing the move as a delay tactic. He argued that filing a repeat application does not automatically entitle the accused to a stay of proceedings and urged the court to proceed, citing what he called a failure by the accused to mount a defence.
Justice Kocouvi-Tey refused the prayer for adjournment and ordered Wontumi to file his witness statements by May 5, 2026, ahead of a case management conference scheduled for May 7.
She added that proceedings will continue pending a decision by the Court of Appeal.