High court orders arrest of Chairman Wontumi

The High Court in Accra has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, after he failed to appear in court without permission.

When the case was called at 9:40 a.m. on Tuesday, October 28, both Chairman Wontumi and his legal team were absent, and no explanation was provided for their absence.

The prosecution team, led by Chief State Attorney Stella Ohene Appiah, was, however, present in court.

Presiding Judge Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tay noted that the day’s proceedings had been scheduled for the filing of disclosures and case management.

She expressed concern over the absence of the accused and his lawyers, stressing that they had provided “no excuse of any sort to the court”.

Chairman Wontumi is standing trial alongside Kwame Antwi, a director of Akonta Mining Limited, and the company itself.

The three have been charged with assigning mineral rights without lawful approval.