Ghanaian opposition leader sentenced to 20 years for illegal mining offenses
via The Namibian2 min read
Bernard Antwi Boasiako, chairman of Ghana's New Patriotic Party NPP for the Ashanti region, has been sentenced to 20 years in jail with hard labor for illegal mining offenses. Boasiako, also known as "Chairman Wontumi," is the first senior politician in Ghana to be convicted of illegal mining since the government began a crackdown in 2017. He was found guilty of "assigning mineral rights without approval" and "facilitating an unlicensed mining operation" through his company, Akonta Mining, and was also ordered to pay over $10,000 in fines. The NPP has reacted with anger, alleging the judgment was politically motivated and that the judge ignored evidence that would have exonerated Boasiako. NPP general secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong stated that the fight against illegal mining should not target political opponents without evidence. Prosecutors said Boasiako allowed two individuals to mine on Akonta Mining's concession without ministerial approval. Environmental campaigners welcomed the conviction, viewing it as a deterrent for others financing illegal mining activities and a strong signal for accountability in protecting Ghana's natural resources. The NPP's lawyers have begun the process of challenging the conviction.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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