The criminal trial of former Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, over alleged illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve has entered a new phase following the prosecution’s closure of its case and the defence’s move to recall its first witness for further cross-examination.
Lawyers for Mr Antwi-Boasiako have notified the court of their intention to apply to recall Edward Akuoko, a former General Manager of Akonta Mining Company Limited and the prosecution’s first witness, after the State discharged its final witness, Chief Inspector Eugene Glover, the investigator in the case.
Defence counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea, told the court he intended to invoke Section 68(1) of the Evidence Act to seek Akuoko’s recall, describing him as a “self-confessed illegal miner”. He said the formal application would be filed within the week.
The court directed the defence to serve the application on the prosecution through WhatsApp by October 30, 2026. The prosecution is expected to respond by November 3, with the court scheduled to hear the application on November 4.
The development comes after the Republic closed its case, having called three witnesses, including two former employees of Akonta Mining and Chief Inspector Glover.
The prosecution relied on their testimonies, alongside drone footage, other audiovisual materials and official communications, to support its allegations concerning mining activities in the forest reserve.
The prosecution’s case, as presented in court, is that the accused persons were involved in mining operations in the protected area. It has also alleged that the accused sought during cross-examination to distance themselves from the activities.
The defence’s application to recall Akuoko means the court must first determine whether he should be brought back for further questioning before the proceedings can advance on that basis. The allegations against Mr Antwi-Boasiako and the other accused persons remain to be determined.
Akuoko’s testimony at the centre of the case
Akuoko’s evidence is significant because he was initially an accused person before becoming a prosecution witness.
In his witness statement, he said he had worked for Mr Antwi-Boasiako for about 10 years as public relations officer of Hansol Company Limited before being appointed General Manager of Akonta Mining in late 2021.
He told the court that Mr Antwi-Boasiako offered him a monthly salary of GH¢20,000 and a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 for official duties.
According to his account, Wontumi initially informed him that the company had secured a mining licence for an area near Asankragua in the Western Region.
Akuoko alleged, however, that he was later instructed to move mining operations into the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
He said he questioned whether the necessary permits had been obtained but was assured that the then Minister for Lands and Natural Resources was aware of the operation.
He further stated that he subsequently discovered that a Forestry Commission letter relied upon by the company was a no-objection letter issued in response to a request for information, rather than a mining permit.
He nevertheless acknowledged that mining operations had taken place in the reserve.
These accounts form part of the evidence the prosecution has presented against the accused.
Their legal significance, and the weight to be attached to the testimony, remain matters for the court to assess.
Site confrontation and equipment removal
Akuoko also recounted a confrontation at the mining site on August 17, 2022, involving a group that included a journalist and representatives of Samartex Timber and Plywood Company Limited.
He said he went to the site after receiving reports of unusual activity and found that some company logistics had been seized. Akuoko admitted that he angrily demanded the return of the items, forcibly retrieved them, loaded them into his pickup truck and drove away.
Chief Inspector Glover gave evidence about the incident, alleging that a team comprising Forestry Commission officials, chiefs, media personnel and Samartex representatives encountered armed men led by Akuoko, who retrieved equipment seized by the team.
The investigator also relied on an undertaking Akuoko signed before the Enchi District Court on January 31, 2023, concerning the removal of mining equipment from the reserve.
Akuoko’s statement referred to the undertaking, which he said he signed before collecting equipment following the release of Chinese partners arrested during a Forestry Commission operation.
The incident and the undertaking form part of the material placed before the court as the prosecution seeks to establish its case concerning the alleged mining activities.
What happens next
With the prosecution having closed its case, the immediate issue before the court is whether to grant the defence’s request to recall Akuoko.
The prosecution’s response and the court’s ruling on the application will determine whether the witness returns to the stand for further examination.
The application is scheduled for consideration on November 4, 2026, after the defence files its motion and the prosecution responds within the court’s timeline.
The case centres on allegations of illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve and the respective roles of the accused persons. No final determination has been made, and the allegations remain subject to the court’s judicial process.
