Chairman Wontumi’s legal troubles have taken another dramatic turn as the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party returned to court today, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, over a separate alleged illegal mining case.
Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, appeared before the Accra High Court shortly after beginning a 20-year prison sentence handed to him in the Samreboi mining case.
His sudden return to the courtroom has triggered renewed public attention, with supporters, political observers and journalists closely following what could become another major legal battle for the influential politician and businessman.
Wontumi was reportedly transported to the court in a Ghana Prisons Service vehicle under heavy security. Prison officers escorted him into the building through a rear entrance, preventing him from directly interacting with the crowd gathered outside.
Wearing a white long-sleeved shirt tucked into black trousers, Wontumi appeared in court for proceedings connected to alleged unlawful mining activities within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
The case is separate from the Samreboi trial that resulted in his imprisonment.
Prosecutors are expected to continue presenting allegations that mining operations connected to Akonta Mining Limited were conducted inside the protected forest reserve without the necessary authorisation.
The Minerals Commission previously maintained that Akonta Mining had no permit, mineral right or mining lease allowing it to operate within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. The company’s approved concessions were said to be located outside the protected area.
Wontumi’s court appearance comes only days after he was convicted on six charges involving the unlawful assignment of mineral rights and the facilitation of unauthorised mining activities.
He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 10,000 penalty units.
The NPP has rejected the outcome of the Samreboi case and indicated that its legal team is considering an appeal and other available options.
However, with proceedings in the Tano Nimiri case continuing, Wontumi now faces pressure on multiple legal fronts.
His lawyers must battle to overturn the lengthy prison sentence while also defending him against another serious set of mining-related allegations.
The latest courtroom appearance has deepened uncertainty over Wontumi’s political future and raised fresh questions about how the mounting cases could affect his influence within the NPP.
