Ghanaian opposition figure Bernard Antwi-Boasiako sentenced to 20 years for illegal mining
via SeneNews2 min read
Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, a prominent figure in Ghana's opposition and Ashanti regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party NPP, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by an Accra court for illegal mining. He was found guilty on six charges, including the illegal allocation of mining rights and intentionally facilitating unlicensed mining activities. The judge, Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, stated that the accusation was never contested and the accused admitted no ministerial approval was obtained. Ghanaian law stipulates prison sentences ranging from 15 to 25 years for such offenses. This conviction occurs amid heightened political tensions, with the opposition accusing the current government of John Mahama, who took power last year, of targeting its members. The ruling party denies these claims, asserting that investigations and prosecutions are evidence-based. Antwi-Boasiako, also known as "Chairman Wontumi," was a leading personality in the NPP, which governed Ghana from 2017 to 2025 before the National Democratic Congress NDC under John Mahama returned to power. Several NPP officials, including former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, have been investigated since the NDC's return, though the government maintains these cases are not politically motivated. Antwi-Boasiako has the option to appeal his conviction. Ghana, Africa's largest gold producer, faces a surge in clandestine mining, locally known as "galamsey," which has led to increasing environmental pollution, threats to cocoa
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