Court slaps Wontumi with GHC15m bail in Akonta mining scandal
Presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, the court on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, approved a GHC15 million bail package with three sureties.
The High Court in Accra has granted bail to the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako—widely known as Chairman Wontumi—following his arraignment over alleged illegal mining operations linked to Akonta Mining Company Limited.
Presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, the court on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, approved a GHC15 million bail package with three sureties. Two of the sureties must present proof of ownership of landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
Chairman Wontumi, who serves as the first accused, faces charges of facilitating unlicensed mining and unlawfully assigning mineral rights without ministerial authorization. The allegations stem from purported galamsey activities that occurred in Samreboi, Western Region, in 2024. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Counsel for the accused, Andy Appiah-Kubi, argued that his client posed no risk of absconding and was prepared to fully cooperate with ongoing investigations.
The Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, did not oppose the bail application but urged the court to adopt strict conditions due to the seriousness of the offenses and Wontumi’s financial means.
“Gold mining is a capital-intensive venture. The accused himself is a man of significant means, and experience shows that such individuals can present higher flight risks,” Dr. Srem-Sai submitted. He further told the court that Wontumi had been reluctant during initial investigations and only presented himself to authorities after the Attorney General’s direct involvement.
The prosecution also raised concerns about the second accused, identified as Kwame Antwi, who is still on the run. Dr. Srem-Sai said Wontumi had not been forthcoming with details regarding his business partner’s identity or location.
In granting the bail, Justice Kocuvie-Tay outlined the following terms:
A bail bond of GHC15 million.
Three sureties, two of whom must justify with landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
Deposit of all passports with the court registrar.
Placement of the accused on the immigration stop list.
Submission of Ghana Cards and digital addresses by all sureties.
Mandatory reporting by Wontumi to investigators on the first and third Monday of each month.
Monthly compliance reports to be filed by investigators directly to the judge.
The court has directed the prosecution to file all disclosures within three weeks. The case is expected to return to court on October 28, 2025.
