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The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has filed an application at the High Court seeking bail pending the determination of his appeal against his conviction and 20-year prison sentence.
The application, filed on August 5, 2026, asks the High Court to grant the embattled politician temporary freedom while his appeal challenging the conviction is heard and determined.
According to court documents, the application was filed by Wontumi’s legal counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea of Zoe, Akyea & Co., relying on Section 96(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30) and Section 33(1) of the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459).
The motion states that the first appellant, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, is currently serving his sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison following his conviction by the High Court.
The application, titled The Republic v. Bernard Antwi Boasiako @ Wontumi, Kwame Antwi (at large), and Akonta Mining Company Limited, requests the court to admit Wontumi to bail pending the final determination of his appeal.
Lawyers for the NPP regional chairman argue that the grounds outlined in the accompanying affidavit justify the granting of bail while the appeal process continues.
The High Court has scheduled the application to be heard on August 19, 2026, before the Criminal Division ‘4’ in Accra.
Copies of the application have been served on the Office of the Attorney-General, which is the respondent in the case, as well as the Director of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, where Wontumi is currently being held.
The outcome of the hearing will determine whether the former Ashanti Regional Chairman will be released on bail while awaiting the Court’s decision on his appeal.
Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment after the Criminal Court 4 Division of the High Court found him guilty on all six charges brought against him in connection with illegal mining activities.
He was convicted alongside Akonta Mining Company Limited, while a third accused person, Kwame Antwi, remains at large.
According to prosecutors, the accused unlawfully assigned mineral rights on the company’s mining concession at Samreboi in the Western Region without obtaining approval from the sector minister, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act.
The prosecution further argued that the accused facilitated mining operations on the concession without the required legal authorisation, resulting in the charges that eventually led to Wontumi’s conviction.
Since the sentencing, the case has attracted significant national attention due to Wontumi’s political influence within the NPP and the wider debate surrounding illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, in Ghana.
His latest application for bail represents another legal attempt to secure his temporary release while challenging the High Court’s decision.
Legal analysts say the court will consider several factors, including the merits of the appeal, the likelihood of success, and whether granting bail would serve the interests of justice.
The ruling on the application, expected after the August 19 hearing, could become a significant development in one of Ghana’s most closely watched criminal cases involving illegal mining and political leadership.
