By Francis Kobena Tandoh
The Office of the Attorney-General has filed a six-count criminal charge sheet at the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra against the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Wontumi, over alleged breaches of the country’s mining law.
The Attorney-General’s Office, led by Dr Dominic Ayine, formally filed the charges on October 6, 2025.
According to the charge sheet sighted by Ghana Eye Report, Wontumi was charged alongside Kwame Antwi and Akonta Mining Company Limited, a mining firm owned by the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman.
Meanwhile, the second accused person, Kwame Antwi, is currently at large.
The charges, which arise from alleged unauthorised mining activities at Samreboi in the Western Region, invoke key provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
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.
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.
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.
According to the A-G, this, too, is in breach of Sections 14(1) and 99(2) (b) of Act 703 as amended.
Under count four, 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.
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.
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.
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. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
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