Chairman Wontumi Scheduled to Be Released in July 2046 | Discuss Ghana

Following his conviction by the High Court in Accra in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) is scheduled to serve a 20-year sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, setting his full-term release date for July 2046.

Presiding over Criminal Court 4, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay delivered the judgment on July 20, 2026, finding Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining Company Limited, guilty of assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval and purposely facilitating unlicensed mining operations on his Samreboi concession.

Key Details of the Sentence and Timeline

Date of Conviction & Sentencing: July 20, 2026

Primary Sentence: 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labor on each count, running concurrently

Financial Penalties: Fines totaling 20,000 penalty units ($\text{GH}¢120,000$), with an additional three-year default custodial term

Projected Release Date: July 2046

“In sentencing, the court takes into account the gravity of environmental degradation caused by illegal mining activities and the need for a strong deterrent to protect the nation's natural resources,” Justice Kocuvie-Tay noted during the ruling.

Factors That Could Alter the 2046 Release Schedule

While his maximum release date is set for July 2046, several legal and constitutional mechanisms could alter his prison timeline:

Court of Appeal Proceedings: Lead defense attorney Samuel Atta Akyea has initiated an expedited appeal challenging the High Court’s reliance on circumstantial evidence, alongside a motion for stay of execution and bail pending appeal.

Prisons Service Remission: Under the Ghana Prisons Service Regulations, inmates demonstrating exemplary conduct and reformation may qualify for statutory sentence remissions (typically up to one-third off the remaining term).

Executive Clemency: The President retains constitutional authority under Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution to grant a pardon, commute, or remit sentences upon the recommendation of the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.

Unless an appellate court overturns the conviction or executive clemency is granted, Chairman Wontumi will remain in custody until July 2046.