Court gives Wontumi final chance to file his witness statement

By: Barbara Kumah

The Criminal Court Division of the High Court in Accra has granted Bernard Antwi Bosiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi and Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, an additional opportunity to file his witness statements in one of the two cases against him, the Samreboi illegal mining case, should he choose to do so.

The presiding judge, Justice Audrey Kocouvi-Tey, gave the ruling, following Wontumi’s failure to meet an April 14, 2026 deadline. The entrepreneur, is facing trial over allegations of permitting mining activities on his Akonta Mining concession in Samreboi without authorization.

At the close of the prosecution’s case, the court directed Bernard Antwi Bosiaka aka Chairman Wontumi, to open his defence and his legal options, including testifying in person, calling witnesses, or making an unsworn statement. He was initially instructed to file his witness statements by March 16, 2026.

Instead, Bosiako filed an appeal challenging the submission of no case at the Court of Appeal and subsequently applied to the trial court to halt proceedings pending the outcome of that appeal.

The application was denied, and he was ordered to file his witness statements by April 14, 2026 , if he is to proceed with his defence ahead of a case management conference. However, when the case was called on Monday April 20, at the High Court for case management conference, Andy Appiah Kubi, lawyer for Wontumi, told the court that a repeat application seeking a stay of proceedings had been filed at the Court of Appeal and requested an adjournment until a ruling is reached.

The request was opposed by Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Srem-Sai, who described the move by the defense as a delay tactic. The Deputy A-G, said that filing a repeat application does not automatically entitle Wontumi to a stay of proceedings and told the court to proceed to convict him, while referring to what he describes as a failure by the accused to mount a defence.

Presiding judge Audrey Kocuvie-Tay refused the prayer for adjournment. She then, ordered Wontumi to file his witness statements by May 5, 2026, ahead of a case management conference set for May 7. Justice Kocuvie-Tey, added that proceedings will continue pending the decision by the Court of Appeal.

Lawyer for Wontumi, Andy Appiah-Kubi, speaks on the issue

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