Ghana court jails opposition party’s regional chairman for illegal mining

A Ghanaian High Court has sentenced Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years in prison with hard labour for illegal mining.

Wontumi is a prominent businessman and chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region, the party’s traditional stronghold.

The verdict

The court found Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining, guilty of illegally mining inside a forest reserve near Samreboi in Ghana’s Western Region.

Judge Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ruled that Wontumi had unlawfully transferred mineral rights without approval from Ghana’s sector minister. He was also found guilty of facilitating unlicensed mining operations, breaching the country’s Minerals and Mining Act.

The maximum sentence for these offences is 25 years. The judge handed down 20 years instead.

The defence’s plea

Wontumi’s lawyers asked the court for leniency. They argued he was a first-time offender and a law-abiding citizen.

They also said his companies employ hundreds of people, who could lose their jobs if he were jailed.

The judge was not persuaded.

A case marked by delays

The trial saw several twists before sentencing. Wontumi’s original lawyer, Andy Appiah Kubi, withdrew from the case. His replacement, Samuel Atta Akyea, then asked for time to review the case file from the start.

Atta Akyea later filed a separate case at Ghana’s Supreme Court, seeking to challenge how the Minerals and Mining Act was applied in the prosecution. He also asked the High Court to delay Monday’s judgment, saying his client was out of the country.

The judge rejected the request, ruling it lacked merit, and delivered her verdict as scheduled.

Who is Chairman Wontumi?

Wontumi, 50, has led the NPP in Ashanti Region since 2014 and was a major financial backer of the party during former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s two terms in office.

Beyond mining, he owns radio and television stations and other businesses in Accra and Kumasi. In 2022, he made headlines with a stated ambition to buy England’s Chelsea Football Club.

Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office arrested him in 2025 over illegal mining allegations, as well as a separate case involving a 14-million-cedi loan from Exim Bank for a farming project.

At the time of his sentencing, Wontumi was also campaigning to become the NPP’s national chairman.

The bigger picture

Illegal mining, known locally as “galamsey,” is a major problem in Ghana. Unlicensed miners often operate in forest reserves and near rivers, using mercury and other chemicals that contaminate water supplies used for drinking and household needs.