Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has listed five individuals, including two former senior government officials with defence and mining backgrounds, as possible witnesses in his ongoing Samreboi mining trial.
The list was filed at the High Court (Criminal Court 4) in Accra pursuant to a court order, as the defence prepares to open its case after the court dismissed a “no case” submission.
The document, signed by lawyer Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi of Nhyira Chambers, names the following as possible witnesses for the defence: Kwabena Okyere Darko (Member of Parliament for Takoradi), Francis Owusu-Akyaw (Member of Parliament for Juaben), Eng. Gormashie-Wisdom Edem, Dominic Nitiwul (former Minister of Defence and Member of Parliament for Bimbilla), and George Mireku Duker (former Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Mines and former Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem).
Wontumi, together with his company Akonta Mining Co. Ltd and co-accused Kwame Antwi (who is at large), is facing charges of transferring mining rights without approval from the sector minister and undertaking mining activities without the necessary ministerial permission. The charges relate to alleged illegal mining operations on a concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The trial has been before the High Court since late 2025. In early April 2026, the court ruled that the accused had a case to answer and directed them to open their defence.
The filing of the witness list forms part of the procedural requirements as the defence now prepares to present its evidence and testimonies.