Galamsey: Wontumi jailed 20 years: Conviction victory for environmental advocate - Group

The High Court on Monday sentenced the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, to a 20-year jail term for assigning mineral rights granted to his company, Akonta Mining Limited, to two persons, Michael Gyedu Ayisi and Henry Okum, without obtaining approval from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.

On the count bordering on the transfer of mineral rights, the court confirmed that Akonta Mining Limited was the holder of the mineral right, while Chairman Wontumi was the controlling Director of the company.

Analysis Relying on circumstantial evidence, the presiding judge, before drawing her conclusions, resolved issues on the exclusivity of the mineral rights relationship between Chairman Wontumi, the sole shareholder and a Director of Akonta Mining, and whether the company had an operating board/executive management separate from Chairman Wontumi to determine if he was the true de facto holder of the mineral right.