Wontumi’s Samreboi illegal mining trial wraps up as High Court sets July 3, 2026, for judgment
The long-running illegal mining case against Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, better known as Chairman Wontumi, and two co-accused has reached its final stage. Proceedings officially closed this week, with the High Court now scheduling July 3, 2026, to deliver its verdict.
Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem-Sai confirmed the development in a post on social media Wednesday, June 3, 2026. According to him, the defence team presented its fifth and last witness during the week. Once that witness finished testifying and was discharged, the defence announced it had nothing further to add. That, Srem-Sai said, marked the official end of the case for The Republic v Bernard Antwi-Boasiako & 2 Others.
What the case is about
Chairman Wontumi, who also serves as Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is standing trial alongside two others and his company. The central allegation is that he permitted illegal mining operations on his Samreboi concession in the Western Region without securing the necessary authorisation from regulators.
Prosecutors told the court that a man named Henry Okum carried out mining activities on that concession. The state further claimed Okum used money from those operations to fund reclamation work on portions of land that had already been degraded. The prosecution argued that evidence presented during the trial linked Wontumi directly to Okum’s activities. They also pointed to what they called a lack of documentation proving payment for the reclamation, which they said suggested mining rights may have been transferred without approval.
The defence’s position
Wontumi’s legal team has pushed back on those claims. Their argument rests on Ghana’s mining laws, specifically the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and the Minerals and Mining (General) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2176). According to the defence, concession holders are legally allowed to hire service providers to work on their concessions. They insist this does not amount to a transfer of mineral rights, which would require separate approval.
How we got here
The High Court had earlier given the defence a deadline of May 28, 2026, to call any remaining witnesses. The judge warned that if no additional witnesses were presented by that date, the defence’s case would be closed and the matter would move straight to judgment. The defence met that deadline by calling its fifth witness this week.
With both prosecution and defence now done presenting evidence and arguments, the court has no more testimony to hear. The next and final step is judgment day. On July 3, 2026, the High Court is expected to decide whether Wontumi and the other accused are guilty or not guilty on the charges of unauthorized mining and related offences.
What happens next
For now, all parties wait. If convicted, the court will determine sentencing based on the Minerals and Mining Act. If acquitted, Wontumi and the others will be discharged. Given Wontumi’s high political profile as NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, the July 3 ruling is expected to draw significant public and political attention.
Justice Srem-Sai’s update suggests the prosecution is confident it proved its case. The defence, meanwhile, maintains it stayed within the law by using service providers rather than transferring rights. The judge will now weigh all evidence, witness testimony, and legal arguments before delivering the final decision.
July 3, 2026 is the date to watch. That’s when the Samreboi concession case, which has dragged through several adjournments and delay concerns, will finally be settled in court.
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