The Office of the Attorney-General (AG) has officially withdrawn all charges against Mr. Edward Akuoko, a Manager of Akonta Mining Company Limited and the fourth accused person in the ongoing criminal case involving the company and its officials.
A formal notice filed at the Accra High Court (Criminal Division) on Monday indicated that the withdrawal was made in accordance with Section 59 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30).
The notice, signed by the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai, stated that Mr. Akuoko had been discharged from prosecution in connection with all charges brought against him.
Meanwhile, the High Court last Tuesday, October 28, withdrew a bench warrant it issued earlier for the arrest of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
The decision followed his appearance in court shortly after the warrant was issued.
The warrant, issued around 9:40 a.m., remained active until Wontumi and his legal team arrived after 10 a.m. to plead with the court for its withdrawal. It was officially rescinded at 11:30 a.m.
Background
Akuoko was facing charges alongside four others: Akonta Mining Limited; Chairman Wontumi; Operations Manager of Akonta Mining, Kwadwo Owusu Bempah; and a co-director of the company, Kwame Antwi, who, along with Bempah, is currently said to be at large.
The charges stem from illegal mining operations allegedly carried out in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve without express authorisation.
Charges
The accused face the following charges:
-Undertaking mining operations without a licence
-Felling trees in a forest reserve without authorisation
-Abetting the unauthorised felling of trees
-Erecting buildings in a forest reserve without approval
Brief Facts of the Case
According to the charge sheet, Akonta Mining Company Limited, registered in 2010, is jointly owned by Bernard Antwi Boasiako (A2) and Kwame Antwi (A3), though prosecutors claim that Wontumi has exercised sole operational control since the company’s inception. Prosecution says they are still working to verify the existence or identity of the listed co-director.
The investigation, led by the Ghana Police Service, according to the prosecution, was triggered by petitions alleging that Akonta Mining was operating unlawfully within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, despite lacking the necessary permits and approvals.
While the company secured leases in Samreboi and Abekoase—areas outside the protected forest—in July 2022, a subsequent application in August 2022 to mine within the reserve was rejected.
However, despite this denial, Akonta Mining allegedly transported excavators marked with the company’s branding into the forest and commenced full-scale operations.
Authorities also discovered the erection of unauthorised structures, including checkpoints and temporary housing for workers.
Prosecutors say the scale of the illegal operations was extensive, with over 40 excavators found operating within the forest. The environmental damage is described as “severe,” affecting approximately 13 hectares of protected forest land and polluting parts of the Tano River.
Armed Confrontation
The charge sheet also details a confrontation that took place on August 17, 2022, when a joint team from the Forestry Commission, Samartex Timber and Plywood Company, and members of the media visited the site.
During the operation, some Akonta workers and equipment were seized. However, as the team attempted to exit the area, they were reportedly blocked by an armed group allegedly led by Edward Akuako and Kwadwo Owusu Bempah. The team was only allowed to leave after surrendering the seized equipment to the armed men.
Arrests and Prosecution
According to Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, after multiple failed attempts to apprehend the accused—and a tense confrontation in Kumasi—law enforcement officers finally arrested Chairman Wontumi, Edward Akuoko.
