The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, (Chairman Wontumi), and Akonta Mining Company Limited have pleaded not guilty to charges related to illegal mining activities in the Western Region.
Chairman Wontumi appeared before Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tay at the High Court in Accra on Tuesday, October 7.
He has been granted bail in the sum of GHC15 million with three sureties, two of whom must be justified with landed properties.
READ ALSO: Galamsey: Wontumi granted GH¢1m bail after honouring CID invite
He is to deposit his passport with the registrar of the High Court and is to be placed on a stop list at all the entry points.
The 3 sureties are to deposit copies of their Ghana card with the registrar of the court.
Wontumi is to report to the investigators on the first and third Monday of the month. The investigator is to file evidence of the entries at the end of the month, the court said.
Charges against Chairman Wontumi
1. Assignment of mineral rights without approval
In the first count against Wontumi, he is alleged to have, in 2024, permitted two individuals, Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi, to undertake mining operations within Akonta Mining’s concession without obtaining the prior written approval of the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
This act, the prosecution argues, violates Sections 14(1) and 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act.
2. Assignment of mineral rights without approval
The second count mirrors the first but targets the second accused person, Kwame Antwi. As a director of Akonta Mining Company Limited, he is alleged to have similarly permitted the unauthorised mining activities, contravening the same statutory provisions.
3. Corporate liability for unauthorised assignment
The third count is brought against Akonta Mining Company Limited itself as the 3rd accused person.
The company is alleged to have, through its operations in Samreboi in 2024, permitted unauthorised mining activities on its concession without ministerial approval.
This, too, is in breach of Sections 14(1) and 99(2)(b) of Act 703 as amended.
4. Purposely facilitating unlicensed mining
Under this count, Wontumi is accused of deliberately facilitating mining operations by Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi, who did not possess the requisite licence issued by the Minister.
The prosecution states that he enabled these activities to occur within Akonta Mining’s concession, contrary to Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act.
5. Purposely facilitating unlicensed mining
The fifth count targets Kwame Antwi again, alleging that he also purposely facilitated unlicensed mining operations on the company’s concession by the same individuals, in breach of the same legal provision.
6. Corporate facilitation of unlicensed mining
The final count is directed at Akonta Mining Company Limited, alleging that the company enabled unlicensed mining activities on its concession.
This represents a corporate offence under Section 99(2)(b) of Act 703.
The charges reflect the state’s increasing reliance on existing mining legislation to tackle illegal mining (galamsey).
Section 14(1) of the Minerals and Mining Act restricts the assignment of mineral rights without ministerial approval, while Section 99(2)(b) criminalises the facilitation of unlicensed mining.
On Monday October 6, the Police granted Chairman Wontumi GH¢1 million bail with two sureties. This followed his appearance at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over his alleged involvement in illegal small-scale mining (galamsey).