The Attorney-General’s Office has filed new criminal charges against Akonta Mining Company Limited and its owner, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, over alleged illegal mining and environmental offences.
The charges were filed on October 6, 2025, at the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra. Akonta Mining is listed as the first accused, Wontumi as the second, and three others, Kwame Antwi (at large), Edward Akuoko (General Manager), and Kwadwo Owusu Bempah (at large), as co-accused.
The case involves illegal mining in the Tano Nimire Forest Reserve in the Western Region. The charges include operating a mine without a licence, felling trees without approval, and erecting structures in a forest reserve without permission.
Prosecutors say the company continued mining despite being denied a permit, using up to 40 excavators and destroying about 13 hectares of forest. The activities also polluted the Tano River.
The case is expected to be heard in court soon.
