The Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Srem Sai, has outlined the prosecution’s next steps in the ongoing trial involving Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Biasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
He indicated that the state will firmly resist any attempts to bring the case to an early conclusion.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on February 4, Justice Srem Sai stated that prosecutors have officially closed the Republic’s case against Chairman Wontumi, his company Akonta Mining Limited, and a second accused, Kwame Antwi, who is currently at large.
According to the Deputy Attorney-General, the prosecution’s case centres on allegations that Chairman Wontumi unlawfully permitted illegal mining activities on his Samreboi concession without obtaining the required ministerial approval. The state called four witnesses in support of its case.
The first witness, described as a galamsey headman, testified that he supervised illegal mining operations at the site after being arrested at an Akonta Mining office located on the concession.
The second witness, identified as the headman’s employer, stated that he had an agreement with Chairman Wontumi to undertake mining and land reclamation activities. He further alleged that the NPP regional chairman leveraged his political influence to secure national security protection for the operations.
A police detective tendered critical investigative statements, including one in which Chairman Wontumi admitted granting part of the concession for reclamation but denied authorising illegal mining. Additionally, a mining law expert testified that ministerial approval is mandatory before a concession holder can allow another party to engage in mining or reclamation and confirmed that Akonta Mining did not have the required authorisation.
Justice Srem Sai revealed that Chairman Wontumi’s lawyers intend to file a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case. The defence has 14 days to submit the application, and the state has pledged to vigorously oppose the move.
This afternoon, our hardworking State Attorneys closed the Republic’s case against Chairman Wontumi (Bernard Antwi-Biasiako) and his 2 co-accused persons, namely, Kwame Antwi (who is at large) and Akonta Mining Limited.
— Justice Srem-Sai (@JusticeSremSai) February 4, 2026
The core accusation in the case is that Chairman Wontumi,…
