Ghana’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has announced that all is set for the prosecution of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). This major development follows investigations by both the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
Dr. Ayine made this revelation on Monday, July 25, during the Office of the President’s Government Accountability Series. He disclosed that Wontumi is facing multiple investigations, primarily involving his company, Akonta Mining Limited, which has been accused of:
Engaging in mining operations without a license Polluting water bodies Illegally entering a forest reserve
According to Dr. Ayine, the CID has already completed its docket on the Akonta Mining case and submitted it to the Attorney General’s office. Charges have since been prepared and returned to the CID for the formal arraignment of the suspects in court in the coming days.
“We have prepared charges and sent them back to the Police CID for the suspects to be formally charged before their arraignment in court,” Dr. Ayine stated.
In a related development, EOCO also arrested and detained Chairman Wontumi for several days before releasing him on bail set at GH¢50 million. Though EOCO has yet to publicly state the specific reasons behind his arrest, the Deputy Attorney General has confirmed that Wontumi is under investigation for several serious criminal offences, including:
Fraud Causing financial loss to the state Money laundering
Further revelations from legal expert Dr. Justice Srem Sai via social media on Thursday, May 29, 2025, indicated that Wontumi is also implicated in a broader international organised crime scheme—adding a transnational dimension to the growing controversy.
In addition to Wontumi, EOCO’s investigations also involve the former CEO of the National Buffer Stock Company, Mr. Abdul Wahab Hanan, and other unnamed accomplices. Both EOCO and the CID have reportedly concluded their investigations, and the Attorney General’s office is expected to announce the outcomes very soon.
This case has drawn significant public interest, not only due to Wontumi’s high-profile political status but also because of the serious nature of the charges, which cut across environmental degradation, economic crimes, and international criminal networks.
As the legal process unfolds, many Ghanaians await to see how justice will be served—particularly in a case that may test the country’s commitment to fighting illegal mining (galamsey) and holding politically connected individuals accountable.
