Accra: The former Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, who is serving as the fourth defence witness, has testified before the Accra High Court that Akonta Mining Limited acted as a whistleblower by reporting illegal mining activities occurring on its concession to the state authorities.
According to Ghana Web, Darko-Mensah provided this testimony during legal proceedings involving Akonta Mining Limited and its owner, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known popularly as Chairman Wontumi, who serves as the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The Attorney-General has charged Chairman Wontumi and others with an alleged financial loss of GHS30 million.
Following the court hearing, a video interview shared by Daily Graphic on June 1, 2026, featured Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the legal representative for Chairman Wontumi. Appiah-Kubi stated that the former minister's testimony highlighted that complaints from Akonta Mining and Chairman Wontumi prompted the Western Regional Security Council to take actions against illegal miners on the concession.
The testimony presented by Darko-Mensah included documents supporting claims that land reclamation was part of a government-endorsed initiative aimed at restoring areas affected by illegal mining activities. These documents suggested the government's policy, with backing from the World Bank, encouraged the reclamation of degraded lands.
Appiah-Kubi explained that any unlawful actions during reclamation exercises should be attributed solely to public officials responsible for overseeing the process, rather than to individuals or companies involved in the reclamation efforts. He argued that those aiding in the restoration of degraded lands should be commended rather than criticized.
The lawyer emphasized that the government's policy, supported by the World Bank, was designed to encourage all Ghanaians and local communities to participate in land reclamation efforts. He noted that the defence plans to call its final witness on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
Chairman Wontumi, alongside two other accused individuals, faces trial over allegations of illegal mining in the Samreboi area.