The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is set to face three mining-related charges on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
According to reports, Chairman Wontumi will be charged tomorrow at the Accra High Court.
This follows after he was granted bail following his appearance before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
Chairman Wontumi was granted a GH¢1 million bail with two sureties, which he has met successfully.
Wontumi reported to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service around 9:30 a.m. on Monday, October 6, 2025, after his lawyer had confirmed they would be there at 10:00 am.
He was accompanied by his lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi.
Andy Appiah Kubi had earlier stated that the Attorney General’s warning is unnecessary as Wontumi has cooperated with investigators.
Speaking to Citi News on Sunday, October 5, Chairman Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah Kubi, stated, “We have been asked to appear at the police CID in Accra, which we are ready for, and we will be there at 10 am at the police CID headquarters.
“This announcement by the Attorney General surprises me. I said, we respect the invitation and we will honour it, but I think the warning that followed that announcement was unnecessary,” he said, adding We are not in any way going to disrespect the invitation.”
His appearance followed an ultimatum from Attorney-General Dr Dominic Ayine, who last week warned the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Chairman Wontumi, that he would be arrested if he failed to show up for his charges to be read to him.
Speaking during the stakeholder engagement on illegal mining assembled by President John Dramani Mahama in Accra on Friday, October 3, Dr Ayine stated, “I am happy to announce that in 2022, the police conducted a very diligent investigation in terms of Akonta Mining, but the dockets were hidden until we came to power. It was when I came in and began the investigation with the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission, we were finding it difficult to get information on the case. It was then that the police themselves owned up and presented that docket to my office two months ago”.
“As we speak, the charges against Chairman Wontumi and Akonta Mining and five others have been signed. Currently, we are waiting for his rights to be read to him, and he has the right to remain silent before he is brought from Kumasi.
“His lawyers asked that he be brought on Tuesday, but I insisted that he be here on Monday. If he does not come on Monday, I am going to order his arrest so that he is brought to Accra and then we can start the prosecution,” Dr Ayine stated.
It will be recalled that on April 21 2025, the John Mahama government formally revoked Chairman Wontumi’s Akonta Mining license.
Wontumi’s Akonta Mining has been accused of galamsey operations within the Aboi and Tano Nimiri Forest Reserves in the Western North Region.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, revealed the case was delayed because crucial dockets were concealed under the previous Akufo-Addo Bawumia administration.