The High Court in Accra has given NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, up to Thursday, May 28, 2026, to call any additional witness in his ongoing criminal trial involving mining and related offences, warning that failure to do so will result in the closure of his defence.
The case formally titled Republic v Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias Chairman Wontumi & 2 Others, reached a decisive stage on Thursday when the accused mounted the witness box and testified in his own defence. The court thereafter indicated that the defence had a final window within which to complete its case.
Counsel for the accused, Andy Appiah-Kubi, prayed the court for additional time to enable the defence to complete its case, invoking Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees an accused person adequate time and facilities to prepare a defence.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem Sai, opposed the application. He argued that defence counsel had earlier assured the court that their next witness would be available within the week, but that expectation had not materialised. He further contended that no witness statements had been filed to justify further delay, adding that the court retains the power to close a defence where witnesses are not made available for cross-examination.
The court nevertheless granted a final indulgence, fixing May 28, 2026, as the deadline for the defence to call its remaining witness. It cautioned that failure to do so would result in the defence being deemed closed, after which addresses would be taken and judgment scheduled.
In a media engagement following proceedings, counsel for the accused, Andy Appiah-Kubi, briefed journalists and indicated that the defence’s next witness is currently outside the jurisdiction but is expected to return and testify on or about Monday, May 25, 2026.
He further stated that the defence would rely on the constitutional guarantee of a fair trial and adequate time to ensure the witness is called, given the importance of his testimony to the case.
“I did not authorise mining” — Wontumi denies allegations in court
In his testimony, Chairman Wontumi denied allegations that he authorised or permitted mining activities on the concession of Akonta Mining. He told the court that his arrangement with prosecution witness Henry Okum was strictly limited to land reclamation and coconut cultivation on degraded portions of the concession at Samreboi.
He explained that in October 2024, Okum approached him with a proposal to reclaim mined-out portions of the concession and plant coconut seedlings to restore the land, describing it as an environmental rehabilitation exercise rather than a mining operation.
“I wish to state clearly and unambiguously that the permission I granted… was strictly and exclusively for land reclamation… I did not, at any time, grant permission for mining operations or mineral extraction,” he told the court.
He maintained that there was no written agreement between him and Okum, describing it as an oversight, but insisted that this could not be construed as authorisation for mining.
“I did not authorise, permit, sanction, or in any manner approve any mining activities on the concession,” he added, denying the allegations in their entirety.
At this stage of the proceedings, the case appears to be moving along a narrowing track, where procedural timelines are beginning to speak as loudly as the evidence itself. The court’s setting of May 28 as the final opportunity to call witnesses effectively draws a firm line between the past of preparation and the next phase of closure. Once that window shuts, the matter will proceed on the record as it stands, and the narrative of the defence will be confined to what has already been placed before the bench.
