The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has applied to the High Court for bail pending the hearing and determination of his appeal against his conviction and 20-year prison sentence for illegal mining.
The application, filed on August 5, 2026, by his lawyers, Zoe, Akyea & Co., is seeking an order to allow Wontumi temporary release from custody while the Court of Appeal considers his challenge to the conviction.
The Notice of Motion, filed by lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea, is brought under Section 96(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), and Section 33(1) of the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459).
According to the application, Wontumi is currently serving his sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons following his conviction over illegal mining activities at Samreboi in the Western Region.
In the court filing, the legal team urged the High Court to grant their client bail pending the determination of the appeal.
The application states: “Take Notice that this Honourable Court will be moved by Counsel for and on behalf of the 1st Appellant/Applicant (“Applicant”) herein praying the Court for an order that the Applicant, who is currently incarcerated at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons, be admitted to bail pending appeal upon the grounds stated in the accompanying affidavit and for any further order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem meet.”
The case, titled The Republic v. Bernard Antwi Boasiako @ Wontumi, Kwame Antwi (at large), and Akonta Mining Company Limited, lists Wontumi as the first appellant/applicant, while Akonta Mining Company Limited is the third appellant.
Court documents indicate that copies of the application have been served on the Office of the Attorney-General, which is the respondent in the matter, as well as the Director of the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons.
The application has been scheduled to be moved before High Court Criminal Division 4 in Accra on August 19, 2026, where the court will determine whether Wontumi has met the legal threshold for bail pending appeal.
Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment after High Court Criminal Court 4 found him guilty on all six charges brought against him.
He was prosecuted alongside Akonta Mining Company Limited and a third accused person, Kwame Antwi, who remains at large, over illegal mining activities on the company’s concession at Samreboi.
The prosecution argued that the accused unlawfully assigned mineral rights on the concession without the approval of the sector minister and facilitated mining operations without the required authorisation, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act.
The application represents Wontumi’s latest legal effort to secure his temporary release while the Court of Appeal considers his challenge to both the conviction and the sentence imposed by the High Court.
