Details Emerge on Second Case Behind Chairman Wontumi’s Rearrest Full Report
Details Emerge on Second Case Behind Chairman Wontumi’s Rearrest | Full Report
Chairman Wontumi rearrest – Wontumi second case – The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, was rearrested on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, after being officially charged by the state over allegations of involvement in illegal mining.
GhanaWeb previously reported that the rearrest relates to a second case against Wontumi, also linked to his mining activities.
He was sent to the Criminal Court at the Accra High Court, where another set of criminal charges was expected to be filed against him.
GhanaWeb’s team at the court confirmed that the second case concerns allegations of illegal mining (galamsey) against Wontumi and four other accused persons, Edward Akuoko, Owusu Bempah, and Kwame Antwi, the Director of Akonta Mining Limited, who remains at large.
The four accused persons face a total of seven criminal charges for allegedly conducting illegal mining activities in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve.
Details of the charges:
Count 1: Undertaking mining operations without a licence — Wontumi pleaded not guilty.
Count 2: Undertaking mining without a licence — Wontumi and Kwame Antwi; Wontumi pleaded not guilty.
Count 3: Undertaking mining operations without a licence — Edward Akuoko and Owusu Bempah; Edward pleaded not guilty, while Owusu Bempah is at large.
Count 4: Felling trees in a forest reserve without a licence — Akonta Mining allegedly felled over 300 trees in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve; Wontumi pleaded not guilty.
Count 5: Abetting unauthorised felling of trees — Wontumi, Kwame Antwi, Edward Akuoko, and Owusu Bempah; Wontumi and Edward pleaded not guilty.
Count 6: Erecting buildings in a forest reserve without a licence — Akonta Mining allegedly erected buildings in the Tano Nimri Forest Reserve in 2022 without Forestry Commission approval; Wontumi pleaded not guilty.
Count 7: Abetting unauthorised erection of buildings in forest reserves — Wontumi, Kwame Antwi, Edward Akuoko, and Owusu Bempah; Wontumi and Edward Akuoko pleaded not guilty.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, Wontumi was granted bail of GH¢10 million with two sureties, one of which must be justified with landed property.
The NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman may also travel abroad only with the express permission of the court.
Although granted bail, Chairman Wontumi was taken into custody by personnel of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
BAI/MA
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
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