Ghana opposition leader Wontumi sentenced to 20 years for illegal mining

On 20 July 2026 Ghana’s High Court in Accra sentenced Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) known as “Chairman Wontumi”, to 20 years in prison with hard labour for facilitating illegal, unlicensed gold mining (galamsey) at the Samreboi concession. The court found him guilty on six counts, including assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval and enabling two individuals to mine illegally. The ruling, handed down by Judge Audrey Kocuvie‑Tay, has been described by some as a strong deterrent against illegal mining.

The conviction sparked a sharply divided political response. The NPP’s general secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, called the judgment a case of selective justice, stating, “The fight against illegal mining cannot become credible only when it targets political opponents.” The parliamentary Minority Caucus, led by Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei, labeled the verdict a “travesty of justice” and pledged to use legal and parliamentary channels to challenge it. Environmental activists welcomed the sentence as a signal that even powerful politicians can be held accountable.

The case follows a 2025 police operation that arrested numerous illegal miners and seized equipment at the Akonta Mining site owned by Wontumi. Several media outlets and public figures, including comedian DKB, have highlighted the contrast between former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo‑Addo’s 2023 assurances that Akonta Mining operated legally and the 2026 conviction.