Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, has officially filed witness statements to open his defence in the ongoing illegal mining trial linked to activities on his Samreboi concession in the Western Region.
Popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, he is expected to call former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources George Mireku Duker as one of his defence witnesses when proceedings resume before the High Court on May 14, 2026.
Appearing before the court, counsel for Chairman Wontumi, Andy Appiah-Kubi, informed the court that the defence had complied with directives ordering the accused persons to file witness statements in preparation for opening their defence.
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According to the defence team, witness statements have been submitted by Chairman Wontumi himself, George Mireku Duker, and one Wisdom Edem Gomashie.
The defence further disclosed that several supporting documents had been filed before the court, including the lease agreement of Akonta Mining Company Limited, correspondence addressed to the Regional Security Council, and investigative cautionary statements.
Lawyers for the accused indicated that Wisdom Edem Gomashie would be the first defence witness to testify when the trial resumes next week.
Chairman Wontumi and his company are facing six charges over allegations that they permitted Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to conduct mining activities on the Akonta Mining concession without obtaining prior approval from the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
The prosecution further alleges that the accused facilitated illegal mining operations on the concession in violation of Ghana’s mining laws.
He has specifically been charged with the assignment of mineral rights without ministerial approval and purposely facilitating unlicensed mining activities contrary to provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995).
The High Court earlier ruled in March 2026 that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the accused persons and subsequently directed them to open their defence.
Following the ruling, the defence filed a submission of no case application challenging the prosecution’s evidence, but the court dismissed the request.
Chairman Wontumi’s legal team later proceeded to the Court of Appeal to contest the High Court’s directive compelling him to open his defence.
The defence also sought a stay of proceedings pending the outcome of the appeal, but the application was dismissed, allowing the substantive trial to continue.