The High Court is expected to deliver judgment on July 3, 2026, in the illegal mining case involving Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and two others.
The development was announced by Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem-Sai in a social media post on Wednesday, June 3, after the defence concluded its case by presenting its fifth and final witness.
Justice Srem-Sai indicated that the witness was discharged after testifying, bringing the trial in the case, The Republic v Bernard Antwi-Boasiako & 2 Others, to a close.
“The Accused Persons in the case – THE REPUBLIC v BERNARD ANTWI-BOASIAKO & 2 OTHERS – called their 5th and last witness today. The witness was discharged from the witness box a while ago. That brought the entire trial to an end. The judge has scheduled July 3 for judgment,” he wrote.
Chairman Wontumi and his company are facing charges over allegations that mining activities were carried out on his concession at Samreboi without the required authorisation.
The prosecution contends that one Henry Okum conducted mining operations on the concession and used proceeds from the activities to undertake reclamation works on degraded portions of the land.
State prosecutors have argued that evidence presented before the court links Wontumi to Okum’s mining activities. They further questioned the absence of documented payments for the reclamation works, suggesting that mining rights may have been granted indirectly.
However, the defence has maintained that the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2176 permit a leaseholder to engage service providers without transferring mineral rights.
Earlier in the proceedings, the court directed the defence to file any additional witnesses by May 28, warning that failure to do so would result in the closure of its case and pave the way for judgment.
With the defence having concluded its evidence, the court has fixed July 3, 2026, to deliver its verdict in the matter.
