A High Court in Accra has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of Ghana’s ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, commonly known as Chairman Wontumi.
Failure to Appear
The warrant was issued after Mr Boasiako failed to appear in court for a scheduled hearing without providing an explanation.
The case, which involves the politician and businessman, was set for a case management conference on Tuesday, 28 October.
Presiding judge Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tay expressed concern about the absence of Mr Boasiako and his lawyers, noting they had offered “no excuse of any sort to the court.” The prosecution, led by Chief State Attorney Stella Ohene Appiah, was present.
Mr Boasiako is the owner of Akonta Mining Company Limited and is facing charges related to the alleged unauthorised assignment of mineral rights. He is standing trial alongside Kwame Antwi, a director of the company, and the company itself.
Warrant Status
Mr Boasiako later arrived at the court at approximately 10:15 a.m., but the bench warrant remains in effect until it is formally withdrawn by the presiding judge, who was on recess at the time of his late arrival.
