The Accra High Court has dismissed an application filed by Lawyers for Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Mr Bernard Antwi Boasiako, commonly known as Chairman Wontumi, asking the Court to stay proceedings in a trial in which he is facing 6 counts of mining-related offences.
It will be recalled that the Court had earlier dismissed a submission of no case application filed by Chairman Wontumi, asking the court to terminate the trial after the State had made its case against him.
Subsequent to this, Lawyers for Wontumi filed a notice of Appeal on that ruling and brought an application for a stay of proceedings of the trial pending the determination of the appeal on the submission of no case filed at the Court of Appeal.
In Court, Counsel for Chairman Wontumi argued that it would be prejudicial to ask the accused to open his defence when there’s a pending application challenging the decision that ordered him to open his case.
Wontumi’s lawyer further argued that no irreparable damage will be occasioned to the state if there’s a temporary stay, as opposed to the accused, whose right may be impaired even before the appeal is determined.
However, the Deputy Attorney General opposed the application, arguing that no exceptional circumstances had been shown in their grounds of appeal, which should warrant a stay of proceedings as required by law and that the application was brought in bad faith to abuse the court’s processes and delay the trial.
The Presiding Judge, in dismissing the application, indicated that after reading the affidavit in support and hearing Counsel, the Court found no merit in the application.
The court later adjourned proceedings to 20th April for case management and asked the accused to file their witness statement before or on the said date if they are so minded.
It will be recalled that Chairman Wontumi and other persons are standing trial for allegedly undertaking mining operations on a concession at Samreboi in the Western Region without the consent of the sector minister.
The state has also accused Wontumi of permitting two individuals to undertake mining activities on the concession without authority and facilitating those operations.
In related news, Dr Dominic Ayine, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, in 2025, revealed that the state will prosecute Chairman Wontumi, Wontumi Farms and its directors over alleged GHS24m EXIM Bank fraud.
According to the Attorney-General, Chairman Wontumi and his company, Wontumi Farms Limited, made fraudulent misrepresentations to Exim Bank to obtain the loan facility.
He revealed that investigations conducted by the Economic and Organised Crime Office revealed evidence of defrauding by false pretences, forgery, and causing financial loss to the state.
Dr Dominic Ayine announced that Bernard Antwi Boasiako, chief promoter of Wontumi Farms, Exim Bank approved a medium term-loan facility of Ghs18,734,260.00, which included a grant component of Ghs6,768,260.00.
This offer was accepted via a letter dated January 23, 2018, and Chairman Wontumi, acting as the Chief Executive Officer of Wontumi Farms Limited and Thomas Antwi Boasiako, as director of Wontumi Farms Limited.
The offer letter indicated that the approval of the medium-term loan facility was subject to the Bank’s terms and conditions. The loan offer letter further stated that the loan was secured with 10,000 acres of the farmland of Wontumi Farms Limited at Asare Nkwanta.
The breakdown of the approved Ghs18,734,260.00 loan as per the offer letter is as follows:
Purchase of agricultural plant and machinery – GH₵3,865,000.00
Working capital – GH₵8,101,000.00
Grant -staff cost and consultancy fees – GH₵6,768,260.00.
Dr Dominic Ayine revealed that the equipment was never procured, adding that the farming enterprise never materialised, with no young persons being employed in Asare Nkwatia.
According to the Attorney General, the company and its director and CEO forged a receipt in order to deceive Exim Bank into believing that they complied with the loan conditions.
See the post below:
Chairman Wontumi's attempt to halt Samreboi galamsey trial dismissed, court orders him to answer to charges…#CourtToday#GHOneNews #EIBNetwork#GHOneTV #NewsAlert pic.twitter.com/3TYEM3rYCl
— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) April 2, 2026