The Accra High Court will determine whether the Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, should be released on bail pending the outcome of his bail application on Wednesday, November 4.

His legal team is expected to present arguments in support of his release on bail pending the outcome of his appeal against his conviction and 20-year prison sentence.

Chairman Wontumi has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on each of the two counts after the High Court in Accra found him guilty in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case on Monday, July 20. The two prison terms will run concurrently.

In response, Wontumi’s legal team challenged his conviction and 20-year prison sentence through an appeal at the Accra High Court on August 5, 2026, with the motion officially entered on August 6.

His initial bail application was scheduled for August 19 but could not proceed after he and his lead counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea, failed to appear.

The parties were subsequently informed by the court clerk that the presiding judge would be unavailable for the remainder of the week. Wontumi’s first application for bail was supposed to have been heard on August 19 but could not proceed after Wontumi and his lead lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, failed to appear in court.

Chairman Wontumi has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on each of the two counts after the High Court in Accra found him guilty in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case on Monday, July 20.

The two prison terms will run concurrently. Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay convicted Wontumi on Counts One and Four, while Akonta Mining Limited was convicted on Counts Three and Six.Additionally, he was fined 10,000 penalty units on each count.

Before the verdict, the defence filed a last-minute application seeking to delay the judgment and refer constitutional questions to the Supreme Court.

In April, his bid to halt the ongoing criminal proceedings in the alleged Samreboi illegal mining case was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay delivered the ruling on Tuesday, April 21.

Last year, the court adjourned two related cases involving Wontumi. In the first case, which concerns allegations that he permitted mining activities on his concession at Samreboi without the required approval, proceedings were adjourned to November 12.

The second case, in which he is accused of conducting mining operations in the Tano Nimire Forest Reserve without authorisation, was also adjourned to December 4 because the presiding judge was on leave.The adjournment followed a request by the prosecution to serve the defence with the required disclosures.

Wontumi has been accused of facilitating illegal mining by allowing individuals to operate on the Samreboi concession without the required licence. His lawyer has maintained that there is no evidence to support the illegal mining charges brought against his client.

NPP responds to Wontumi’s sentence

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) strongly criticised the government after the court handed a 20-year jail sentence to its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, calling the conviction a “travesty of justice” and insisting it will challenge the ruling through the appellate process.

In a statement issued after the High Court's judgment, the party said it respected the authority of the judiciary but could not remain silent in the face of what it believes is a fundamentally flawed decision.

According to the NPP, the prosecution failed to provide evidence to support the offence for which Chairman Wontumi was convicted, arguing that his acquisition of the mineral concession in question was lawful and never disputed during the trial.

The party claimed that the Mahama administration may seek to portray the conviction as evidence of its commitment to the fight against illegal mining but rejected such a narrative.

“This is no trophy,” the NPP declared, arguing that Ghanaians would question why similar urgency had not been demonstrated in addressing allegations involving individuals linked to the governing party.