An Accra High Court has sentenced Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years of hard labour for his involvement in illegal mining activities.
The court’s decision was made on Monday, July 20, 2026, and comes after Chairman Wontumi was found guilty in connection with illegal mining activities linked to Akonta Mining at Samreboi.
Addai Poku Aikins, a brother of Chairman Wontumi and Immediate Past Chairman of the Bosomtwe Constituency branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), publicly reacted to the court’s decision in a live broadcast by Citi 97.3 FM.
He described himself as shaken by the severity of the sentence, saying, “I am completely devastated by the news of Chairman Wontumi’s 20-year sentence.”
Chairman Wontumi had been a prominent figure within the NPP, particularly in the Ashanti Region, before his conviction.
The Akonta Mining case centred on illegal small-scale mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, which has remained one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental and governance challenges.
His sentencing to 20 years of hard labour marks one of the most significant legal outcomes involving a senior party figure in recent Ghanaian political history.
Kwame A Plus, a public figure, had publicly “celebrated” the conviction of Bernard Antwi-Boasiako in a Facebook post earlier on Monday, July 20, 2026.
The post appeared to reference the long-running personal and political rivalry between Chairman Wontumi and Kwame A Plus.
Chairman Wontumi has been taken into custody and is expected to serve his sentence at Nsawam Prison.
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