The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour by an Accra High Court.
The court also imposed a fine of GHS 120,000 on him in connection with illegal mining activities at his Samreboi concession.
This follows his conviction on all sixteen counts preferred against him by the State. The charges bordered on facilitating illegal mining, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act.
Mr. Antwi-Boasiako had pleaded not guilty to all the charges. However, during the trial, the State led evidence to prove that he purposely facilitated illegal mining operations on his concession at Samreboi.
The court, in its ruling, held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt on each of the sixteen counts.
The sentencing marks one of the high-profile convictions in the government’s crackdown on illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey.”
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme