Jailed Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has made his first appearance before the Accra High Court in connection with the Tano Nimiri illegal mining case.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako arrived at the court in a prison bus under heavy escort by prison officers after spending two nights in custody following his 20-year prison sentence in the separate Samreboi illegal mining case.
Dressed in a neatly tucked white long-sleeved shirt and black trousers, the embattled politician was escorted into the courtroom through a rear entrance, apparently to avoid public attention.
The Tano Nimiri case is separate from the Samreboi matter for which Mr Antwi-Boasiako was recently convicted and sentenced. It relates to allegations of illegal mining activities and is expected to proceed independently before the High Court.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako was convicted in the Samreboi case on six counts under Section 99 of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019. The charges included unlawfully assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval and facilitating illegal mining within a protected forest reserve through Akonta Mining Limited.
Akonta Mining Limited was also convicted in the case and fined separately.
His latest court appearance comes as he begins serving the custodial sentence imposed over the Samreboi concession in the Western Region, while facing additional legal proceedings in the Tano Nimiri matter.
The case has attracted significant public and political attention following his recent conviction, with the New Patriotic Party indicating that it intends to pursue all available legal avenues.
The Accra High Court is expected to continue hearing the Tano Nimiri case as prosecutors and the defence present their respective arguments.
