Chairman Wontumi
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako and the owner of Akonta Mining Company Ltd , also known as Chairman Wontumi, has been granted bail with two sureties after turning himself in to the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Accra.
Wontumi appeared at the CID headquarters on Monday, May 26, accompanied by his legal counsel, former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, and former MP for Asante-Akim North, Andy Appiah-Kubi. His voluntary appearance followed a failed attempt by security personnel to arrest him at his residence on Friday, May 23—a dramatic incident that sparked widespread public attention and online commentary.
Following his interrogation, Wontumi disclosed that the police questioned him about alleged involvement in illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey. He firmly denied the accusations, stating that he is engaged in legal, licensed mining activities.
“I came to show them my license to prove that I am not into galamsey,” he told reporters. “They also claimed I have been mining in a forest reserve, but I challenged them to produce evidence.”
The police have charged him with mining without authorization. However, details of the investigation remain limited, as the Ghana Police Service has yet to release an official statement on the matter.
Last week’s attempted arrest was marked by a heavy security presence around Wontumi’s home, prompting concerns among his supporters, who viewed the operation as politically motivated.
While the case continues to unfold, Wontumi is currently out on bail pending further police action.
