Wontumi to be prosecuted on October 6 over galamsey– AG
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has confirmed that the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi will be prosecuted on Monday, October 6, 2025, over his alleged involvement in illegal mining activities linked to Akonta Mining.
Dr. Ayine said formal charges have been filed against Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining, and five others following investigations which uncovered illegal mining operations in forest reserves without proper permits.
The case stems from an incident on April 21, 2025, when the government revoked Akonta Mining’s license after Lands Minister Armah-Kofi Buah revealed the company had operated illegally within the Aboi and Tano Nimiri Forest Reserves in the Western North Region. Although the company had a license to operate off-reserve, it was accused of encroaching on protected forest lands. Akonta Mining has denied the allegations.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting with civil society organisations at the Flagstaff House on Friday, October 3, Dr. Ayine explained that the case was delayed due to missing documentation under the previous administration.
“I am happy to announce that in 2022, the police conducted a very diligent investigation in terms of Akonta Mining, but the dockets were hidden until we came to power. It was when I came in and began the investigation with the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission, we were finding it difficult to get information on the case. It was then that the police themselves owned up and presented that docket to my office two months ago,” he revealed.
The Attorney General said the charges have been signed and the process to read Chairman Wontumi his rights is underway.
“As we speak, the charges against Chairman Wontumi and Akonta Mining and five others have been signed. Currently, we are waiting for his rights to be read to him, and he has the right to remain silent before he is brought from Kumasi.
“His lawyers asked that he be brought on Tuesday, but I insisted that he be here on Monday. If he does not come on Monday, I am going to order his arrest so that he is brought to Accra and then we can start the prosecution,”
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