The High Court in Accra will on November 4, 2026, rule on an application by the convicted former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, alias Chairman Wontumi, for bail pending appeal against his 20-year jail term in the Samreboi illegal mining case.
The court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tey, fixed the date after hearing arguments from counsel for Antwi-Boasiako, Samuel Atta Akyea, and the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, who opposed the application.
Mr Atta Akyea argued that the appeal had substantial prospects of success and that his client needed to be released to assist in preparing and prosecuting it.
However, Dr Srem-Sai submitted that no exceptional circumstances had been established to warrant bail, adding that the applicant posed a flight risk because he was facing two other criminal trials.
Appeal
Moving the application in court on Thursday (October 15), Mr Atta Akyea said the 19 grounds of appeal raised substantial legal issues, including the interpretation of the Minerals and Mining Act and the treatment of accomplice evidence.
He argued that the trial judge had failed to consider the relevant provisions of the Act as a whole and that the grounds of appeal had significant prospects of success.
Counsel also said granting bail would enable his client to assist in preparing the appeal and another criminal case he was facing.
He rejected the prosecution’s claim that Antwi-Boasiako was a flight risk, saying his passport remained with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
He further argued that his client had complied with his bail conditions during the trial and would remain in Ghana to pursue the appeal.
Opposition
Dr Srem-Sai said bail pending appeal should not be granted lightly, arguing that the applicant had failed to demonstrate exceptional circumstances to justify his release.
Citing Fynn v The Republic, he said the circumstances under which bail had been granted in that case were different from those of Antwi-Boasiako, who had been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.
He said the earlier case involved relatively short prison terms and concerns about delays in preparing appeal records, circumstances he argued did not apply to the present case.
The Deputy Attorney-General also said the applicant was facing two other criminal trials, which could result in additional prison terms, and argued that this increased the risk of him absconding.
He urged the court to dismiss the application.
The court subsequently fixed November 4, 2026, to deliver its ruling.
