Chairman Wontumi Jailed 20 Years Over Illegal Mining; Akonta Mining Also Convicted
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The Accra High Court has sentenced the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years’ imprisonment on each of two counts relating to illegal mining activities.
The convictions were for assigning mining licences without the approval of the sector minister and purposefully facilitating unlawful mining.
The court ordered that the two 20-year prison terms run concurrently, meaning Chairman Wontumi will serve both sentences at the same time rather than one after the other.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units on each of the two counts.
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The High Court also convicted Akonta Mining Company Limited, which was tried alongside Chairman Wontumi, and fined the company 15,000 penalty units on each of the two counts.
The ruling brings to a close the high-profile Samreboi illegal mining trial, which has attracted significant national attention amid the government’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
The judgment marks one of the most significant convictions in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, underscoring the legal consequences for individuals and companies found guilty of breaching the country’s mining laws.
By: Paulina Armah/ Radio1.
