The third prosecution witness in the ongoing Tano Nimiri illegal mining case has told the Accra High Court that Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, allegedly instructed that mining operations be carried out within a protected forest reserve without the required authorisation.
Chief Inspector Eugene Akpo Glover, the lead investigator in the case, made the disclosure during cross-examination at the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the witness, the accused person allegedly gave directives for mining activities to take place within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, a protected area under Ghana’s environmental and mining regulations.
Chairman Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining Limited, are currently standing trial on multiple charges relating to alleged illegal mining activities within the forest reserve without lawful approval.
The prosecution has maintained that the operations in question were conducted in breach of mining and forestry laws, leading to environmental degradation in the affected area.
The case continues as the court hears further evidence from prosecution witnesses.
