The Accra High Court has granted the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, a final opportunity to file his witness statements in the ongoing Samreboi illegal mining case.
Presiding judge, Justice Audrey Kocouvi-Tey, set May 5, 2026, as the final deadline for the accused to submit his witness statements should he choose to mount a defence. This comes after he failed to meet an earlier deadline of April 14, 2026, and a previous extension that had initially set March 16, 2026, as the filing date.
Chairman Wontumi is standing trial over allegations that he allowed mining activities to take place on his Akonta Mining concession at Samreboi without the necessary authorisation.
Following the close of the prosecution’s case, the court directed him to open his defence, giving him the option to testify in person, call witnesses, or make an unsworn statement to the court.
During proceedings on Monday, April 20, 2026, counsel for the accused, Andy Appiah-Kubi, informed the court that another application had been filed at the Court of Appeal seeking a stay of proceedings. He therefore requested an adjournment pending the outcome of that application.
However, the Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Srem-Sai, opposed the request, describing it as a delay tactic. He argued that the filing of an appeal does not automatically halt proceedings and urged the court to proceed with the case, noting that the accused had not yet opened his defence.
Justice Kocouvi-Tey refused the adjournment request, maintaining that the trial would continue while the Court of Appeal considers the application for stay of proceedings. She further ordered that the case management conference will proceed on May 7, 2026, regardless of the pending appeal.
, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, a final opportunity to file his witness statements in the ongoing Samreboi illegal mining case){kind=link}