Court rejects tendering of pictures in ongoing Boasiako illegal mining case

An Accra High Court on Monday rejected two pictures the prosecution sought to tender through its third prosecution witness in the ongoing illegal mining case involving Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Wontumi. 

The court held that, after considering the evidence in relation to the pictures, the only identifiable nexus was a “Stop Akonta Mining” kiosk that had been turned upside down. 

According to the court, the pictures did not show any armed men at the site. 

The rejection followed an objection raised by Mr Andy Appiah-Kubi, counsel for Boasiako, who argued that no armed men, Boasiako himself, or his company, Akonta Mining Company Limited, were visible in the photographs. 

The court, however, admitted into evidence a drone video recorded by Detective Chief Inspector Eugene Akpoh Glover, the third prosecution witness, on July 5, 2025. 

Detective Chief Inspector Glover, in his evidence-in-chief, told the court that after taking over the investigations, he visited the Tano Nnimire Forest Reserve and captured drone footage of the area. 

The video showed the extent of damage allegedly caused by Akonta Mining Company Limited in the forest reserve. 

According to the witness, the Tano Nnimire Forest Reserve had several compartments, and the footage was taken at Compartment 161. 

Defence counsel objected to the tendering of the video, arguing that it had no sound, no visible date, and no identifiable source, adding that it could have been obtained from the internet. 

“We object to the tendering of the video. There is no nexus between the footage and the third prosecution witness. It does not show which part of the land was captured, and it does not connect Akonta Mining Company Limited or Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, to the alleged activities,” counsel submitted. 

The Prosecution, led by Nana Ama Prempeh, Senior State Attorney, opposed the objection, arguing that the footage was relevant because it showed evidence of mining activities within the Tano Nnimire Forest Reserve. 

The prosecution further stated that the witness had explained in his statement that the reserve had several compartments and that the footage formed part of his investigations. 

The State Attorney argued that it was unreasonable to expect Boasiako or his agents to appear in the drone footage before it could be admitted as evidence. 

The court, in its ruling, admitted the video evidence, stating that the witness had already testified that the footage was recorded on July 5, 2025. 

The trial judge further held that the defence could challenge the authenticity and content of the footage during cross-examination. 

Earlier, Detective Chief Inspector Glover told the court that he got to know Boasiako through the ongoing investigations. 

He said that, as part of his investigations, he visited the Registrar of Companies and obtained incorporation documents relating to Akonta Mining Company Limited, which were tendered in evidence. 

Boasiako and Akonta Mining Company Limited are facing charges over alleged illegal mining activities, including undertaking mining operations without a licence, felling about 300 merchantable trees in the Tano Nnimire Forest Reserve, and erecting structures in the reserve without written authorisation from the Forestry Commission. 

Boasiako has denied the charges and is currently on bail. 

The case has been adjourned to Friday, May 29, 2026. 

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)