An Accra High Court in Accra has sentenced Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years in hard labour in the Samreboi illegal mining case.

The judgment was delivered on Monday, July 20, 2026, by the Criminal Court 4 Division of the High Court, which handled the case involving Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining Company Limited and another accused person, Kwame Antwi.

Before delivering the judgment, the court dismissed an application by the defence team seeking to postpone the ruling and refer some issues in the case to the Supreme Court for constitutional interpretation.

Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ruled that the application lacked merit after lawyers for Chairman Wontumi informed the court that lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea was outside the country and expected to return on July 22.

Lawyer Charles Boakye, who held brief for Mr Atta Akyea, had told the court that the defence team filed the application on July 16, asking for the judgment to be deferred and some matters referred to the Supreme Court.

However, the court proceeded with the judgment after rejecting the request