Elikem Kotoko, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, has narrated a phone call he received from the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, commonly known as Chairman Wontumi.
The Deputy CEO of Forestry Commission revealed that Wontumi’s phone call came shortly after security officials busted people engaging in illegal mining at Samreboi in the Western Region, a site belonging to Akonta Mining Limited.
Speaking in an interview on Joy Prime, Elikem Kotoko recalled, “I’m still wondering why Chairman Wontumi called me one day after the Samreboi incident, something I never spoke about. (Wontumi said) ‘Hello, Elikem, this is Chairman Wontumi.’ I said, ‘Aha’”.
Elikem Kotoko added, “Oo, Elikem, why are you doing this to me? Your boss is my friend. When are you going to come to Kumasi so we can sit and talk?”
“What was he calling me for? I never said this anywhere, but I’ve decided… he has never called me, not even when I won my elections”, he added.
Elikem Kotoko added that he is not surprised by the legal challenges Wontumi is facing because he was alleged to be a kingpin in the galamsey menace.
“Who didn’t know that if you want to mention names, he was one of the number one people who probably was perceived to be leading people into the forest, into the places, because he saw himself as the greatest kingpin and all — nobody comes through the mine except through me, Wontumi,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chairman Wontumi was released from police custody some weeks ago after three nights.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) released comes after he fulfilled bail conditions amounting to GH₵25 million imposed across two separate illegal mining cases.
Wontumi, on Tuesday, October 7, was granted a ₵25 million bail by the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court in connection with two separate cases relating to alleged illegal mining.
Chairman Wontumi and the Operations Manager of Akonta Mining Company Limited were granted bail in the sum of GHC10 million with two sureties.
The two sureties, one must be justified with proof of landed property.
Wontumi and Akonta Mining have been accused of destroying 13 hectares of land in the Tano Nimiri forest.
The NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman pleaded not guilty to all seven charges levelled against him.
Chairman Wontumi was slapped with seven fresh charges, which stem from his alleged mining in Tano Nimire Forest Reserve in the Western Region.
The charges come barely after he appeared in a separate case.
In this case, Wontumi and four others associated with his Akonta Mining Company Limited are facing the accusations of unlawfully engaging in mining operations, environmental destruction.
Additionally, the Accra High Court has granted Wontumi a ₵15 million bail with three sureties in a separate case.
According to the court, Wontumi’s sureties must be justified with landed properties.
The presiding judge, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, granted Wontumi bail on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, after hearing arguments from Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, and the Deputy Attorney General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai.
Andy Appiah-Kubi urged the court to grant bail, insisting that his client posed no flight risk; however, Dr Srem-Sai, who did not oppose, called on the court to impose stringent conditions given the gravity of the charges.
He argued, “Gold mining is a capital-intensive business, and by their own admission, the accused is a man of substance. It is common knowledge that persons of substance are often greater flight risks”.
Wontumi was granted a GHC 15 million bail bond, three sureties, two of whom must justify with landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
He is also to deposit all passports with the court registrar; he has also been placed on the Ghana immigration stop list at all entry and exit points.
Also, Wontumi must report to investigators on the first and third Monday of every month.
The Accra High Court gave the prosecution three weeks to file disclosures.
Meanwhile, the next hearing is scheduled for October 28, 2025.
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