Lawyer Martin Kpebu has described the conviction of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, as a significant milestone in Ghana’s efforts to combat illegal mining, arguing that the verdict demonstrates a renewed focus on targeting the alleged masterminds behind galamsey operations. Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday, Kpebu said the judgment addresses longstanding public calls for law enforcement agencies to pursue those believed to be directing illegal mining activities rather than concentrating solely on workers at mining sites.
His comments followed a High Court ruling in Accra that found the New Patriotic Party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman guilty in the Samreboi illegal mining case and sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment. The decision has been widely regarded as one of the most significant convictions in the country’s campaign against illegal mining, making Wontumi one of the highest-profile political figures to receive a custodial sentence over galamsey-related offences.
The case has also generated public debate over the prosecution’s handling of two individuals, Henry Okum and Michael Ayisi, who admitted during the trial to participating in the illegal mining operation but testified as prosecution witnesses instead of being charged. Kpebu defended that approach, maintaining that the two men were not the principal actors in the operation but rather subordinate participants whose evidence was instrumental in securing a conviction against the alleged leader.
According to Kpebu, the government’s stated objective has always been to dismantle illegal mining networks by prosecuting their alleged kingpins. He cited Wontumi’s past public displays of gold bars and expensive jewellery as reinforcing what he described as an image of influence within the sector. Kpebu argued that using the testimony of lower-level operatives to prosecute those alleged to be directing illegal mining activities is consistent with the broader strategy of ensuring that those considered to be at the centre of such operations are held accountable.
