By: Kenneth Appiah Bani
The Accra High Court has adjourned the case involving the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi to December 15, 2025, after dismissing an application filed by his lawyers seeking further disclosures from state prosecutors.
The application by Wontumi’s legal team sought additional documents they claimed were essential for preparing their defence. However, after examining the submissions, presiding judge Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ruled against the defence, effectively striking out the application. The judge held that the prosecution had met its disclosure obligations and noted that the defence failed to demonstrate that the requested documents were in the state’s possession.
Speaking to journalists after the proceedings, defence lawyer Mr. Appiah-Kubi expressed satisfaction with the outcome, saying the court’s decision confirmed their position that the prosecution did not have the documents in question. He added that the defence team was “fully satisfied with the ruling,” describing it as consistent with their expectations.
During Friday’s sitting, the High Court also varied Chairman Wontumi’s bail conditions. Originally, he was required to report periodically to the case investigator, but the court has now ordered that he report directly to the court registrar a change aimed at improving administrative efficiency as the case progresses.
The charges against Chairman Wontumi stem from alleged unauthorised mining activities at Samreboi in the Western Region. These charges invoke key provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995), which outline strict requirements and penalties relating to illegal mining operations.
The case, which centres on the operations of Akonta Mining Limited, continues to draw national attention due to longstanding controversies surrounding mining activities in protected forest reserves.
The High Court is expected to reconvene on December 15 to continue hearing the substantive issues in the matter, as both prosecution and defence prepare for the next phase of the trial.
