High Court Dismisses Chairman Wontumi’s Submission of No Case

The High Court has dismissed a no-case submission by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, in a case in which he is accused of permitting two individuals to mine on his concession at Samreboi without ministerial approval.

The court has since directed the accused persons to open their defence.

It comes after the lawyers of the accused persons argued that the prosecution had failed to produce sufficient evidence to justify calling the accused persons to open their defence.

Case
The Attorney-General has charged the accused persons with six counts, including permitting the two individuals to undertake mining activities on the concession without authorisation and facilitating unlicensed mining.

The accused persons, who include the politician’s company, Akonta Mining Company Ltd, are standing trial over allegations that they allowed Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to mine on the company’s concession without the prior approval of the sector minister.

The prosecution has already called four witnesses to support its case.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

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