The High Court has convicted Thomas Andy Owusu, aide to New Patriotic Party Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, in a corruption case tied to illegal mining licensing.

According to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Mr Owusu, who is the second accused in the case of The Republic v. Charles Bissue & Another, was convicted on his own plea after the court accepted a plea agreement entered under section 71 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).

The charge was based on corruption of a public officer and accepting a bribe to influence a public officer.

Tiger Eye PI's 2019 "Galamsey Fraud Part One" investigation implicated Owusu and then-presidential staffer Charles Bissue in facilitating illegal mining licences for bribes, bypassing official processes.

For taking GHS15,000 as his compensation so that he can influence a public officer to bypass the licencing requirements, Mr Owusu, per the agreement reached, will pay a fine of 500 penalty units (equivalent to GHS 6,000) and restitution of GHS 200,000 to the state.

Meanwhile, the court has struck out two additional charges—corruption of a public officer and accepting a bribe to influence a Public Officer.

Following the second accused's conviction, the court can now focus on the first accused, Charles Bissue, who has been accused of using public office for profit, contrary to section 179C(b) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

His trial will continue on June 10 with a scheduled case management conference.

In a related development, the Supreme Court has delivered a ruling in the ongoing civil legal dispute between Charles Bissue and the OSP.

In 2023, Bissue filed a case at the Human Rights Court, claiming that the OSP had unlawfully obtained an arrest warrant for his apprehension.

The OSP denied this, stating that it did not require a warrant to arrest Bissue. The Kaneshie District Court, which Bissue alleged had issued the warrant, confirmed it had not granted any such order.

The Attorney-General, representing the District Court, also testified that no warrant existed. Bissue was unable to produce the alleged warrant and instead relied on an interview granted by the Special Prosecutor on Joy FM’s Newsfile programme.

His legal team argued that the remarks in the interview led them to believe a warrant had been issued.

The Human Rights Court, after confirming the non-existence of a warrant, dismissed the case and ruled that there was no need to play the interview or allow the cross-examination of Bissue’s lawyer.

Dissatisfied with the decision, Bissue petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the ruling.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered that the Newsfile interview be played in court to allow the contents to be properly assessed.

The decision means the matter returns to the Human Rights Court, where the OSP will also be allowed to cross-examine Bissue’s lawyer on the alleged existence of the warrant.