The High Court (Criminal Division) has granted bail to the Operations Manager of Akonta Mining, Kwadwo Owusu Bempah, in the sum of GH¢10 million with three sureties, one of whom is to be justified.
As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered Owusu Bempah to deposit his passport at the registry of the court to ensure his availability for trial.
Owusu Bempah, the fifth accused person in the case, was arraigned on charges relating to alleged illegal mining activities in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. He pleaded not guilty to all charges preferred against him.
The charges include undertaking mining operations without a licence (Count 3), abetting the unauthorised felling of trees in a forest reserve (Count 5), and abetting the unauthorised erection of structures in the forest (Count 7). The facts of the case were read and explained to him in open court.
Counsel for the fifth accused person, Andrew Kojo Vortia, urged the court to grant bail, arguing that bail is a fundamental right. He cited judicial precedent in support of his submission and maintained that Owusu Bempah posed no flight risk.
The Attorney-General’s representative indicated that the prosecution did not oppose the bail application but prayed the court to impose stringent conditions to secure the accused person’s attendance at trial.
The prosecution further disclosed that an amended charge sheet would be filed on the next adjourned date, noting that the state intends to remove the fourth accused person from the case.
The court subsequently admitted Owusu Bempah to bail on the same terms earlier granted to the second and third accused persons.
Owusu Bempah is standing trial alongside Akonta Mining Limited and three others, including the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi.
Other defence lawyers in the case include Andy Appiah-Kubi, Kwasi Asokwa Boateng and Bright Wireko-Brobbey, who represent the first and second accused persons. Nana Ama Prempeh is holding brief for the prosecution.
The prosecution alleges that although Chairman Wontumi holds valid mining leases in other locations, an application to mine within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve was rejected.
Despite the refusal, the accused persons are alleged to have unlawfully entered the reserve and engaged in mining and related activities.
According to the defence, Owusu Bempah was initially declared at large but voluntarily presented himself to the police about three weeks ago.
He was granted police enquiry bail but was later re-arrested for allegedly failing to report as required.
Another accused person, shareholder Kwame Antwi, remains at large.
In a related development, the state has indicated its intention to withdraw charges against the company’s General Manager, Edward Akuoko, who was absent from court, in order to use him as a prosecution witness.
The case has been adjourned to February 17, 2026, for a Case Management Conference (CMC) at 11:30 a.m.
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The post Akonta Mining Operations Manager Granted GH¢10m Bail in Illegal Mining Case appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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