The High Court in Accra has granted bail to Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, in the sum of GHC 15 million. The bail requires three sureties, two of whom must provide landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay presided over the case on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, following arguments from Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, and the Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai.
Wontumi, the first accused and owner of Akonta Mining Company Limited, pleaded not guilty to charges of facilitating unlicensed mining and assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval. The allegations relate to alleged illegal mining activities in Samreboi, Western Region, in 2024.
Appiah-Kubi urged the court to grant bail, arguing that Wontumi posed no flight risk and would cooperate fully with investigations.
While not opposing bail, Dr. Srem-Sai called for stringent conditions, citing the seriousness of the charges and Wontumi’s financial standing. “Gold mining is a capital-intensive business, and by their own admission, the accused is a man of substance. Persons of substance are often considered greater flight risks,” he said. The Deputy Attorney General also noted Wontumi’s earlier lack of cooperation and failure to provide information on the second accused, Kwame Antwi, who remains at large.
Justice Kocuvie-Tay approved bail with the following conditions: a GHC 15 million bond, three sureties (two with landed property), surrender of all passports, placement on the immigration stop list, submission of Ghana Card and digital addresses for sureties, and mandatory reporting to investigators on the first and third Monday of every month. Investigators are required to submit monthly compliance reports to the court.
The prosecution has three weeks to file disclosures, and the next hearing is scheduled for October 28, 2025.