Accra: Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, a lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), and spokesperson for the convicted Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, has disclosed that Wontumi has expressed his appreciation to his lead counsel, Andy Appiah Kubi.
According to Ghana Web, when Wontumi appeared before the High Court in Accra on July 27, 2026, regarding his Exim Bank case, he requested Dr Boakye-Danquah to convey his gratitude to Andy Appiah Kubi. Appiah Kubi had earlier withdrawn his legal services, passing the case to lawyer Atta Akyea before Wontumi's conviction. He also withdrew from representing Wontumi in the ongoing Exim Bank case.
Dr Boakye-Danquah stated that Wontumi specifically instructed him to thank Appiah Kubi for his dedication and legal representation throughout his legal battles. "He asked me to convey that message. So yesterday, I spoke to Lawyer Andy Appiah Kubi and told him what Wontumi had said. Appiah Kubi had travelled to Koforidua to handle a different case, so his secretary brought all the case dockets to Lawyer Atta Akyea in court," he said.
Chairman Wontumi has been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment after Criminal Court 4 of the High Court found him guilty on all six charges brought against him. In a judgment delivered on Monday, July 20, 2026, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ordered that the prison terms run concurrently. The court also fined Wontumi 10,000 penalty units on each of the six counts. Akonta Mining Limited, also convicted on two counts, was fined 15,000 penalty units on each count.
The convictions were secured under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2020 (Act 995), which prescribes penalties for illegal mining-related offences. Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining Limited, and a third accused person, Kwame Antwi, were prosecuted over alleged illegal mining activities on the company's concession at Samreboi in the Western Region. The prosecution claimed the accused unlawfully assigned mineral rights on the concession without ministerial approval and facilitated unauthorized mining activities, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act.
In a separate matter, Chairman Wontumi and Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, a director of Wontumi Farms Limited, are on trial for allegations of fraud involving the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM). Prosecutors allege the two used false pretences to obtain GHS14,302,000 from the bank. Wontumi is also accused of forging a document to fraudulently secure an additional GHS4,000,000 and laundering part of the funds, causing a financial loss of over GHS30 million to the state.
He has pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding by false pretence, forgery, money laundering, and causing financial loss to a public body. The prosecution alleges that Chairman Wontumi applied in January 2018 for a GHS19 million facility to finance a farming project, accompanied by a board resolution supposedly authorizing the loan. Investigators claim the resolution was dated January 23, 2018, despite Wontumi Farms Limited's incorporation on December 14, 2017.
The prosecution further alleges that Chairman Wontumi submitted a document marked "Receipt," claiming the purchase of GHS4,000,000 worth of agricultural machinery, leading to additional fund releases. Investigators contend the document was a pro-forma invoice, not a genuine receipt, and that no proposed farming activities were conducted. Instead, they claim Wontumi withdrew substantial sums for personal use. The allegations remain before the court, and Chairman Wontumi denies any wrongdoing.