The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Wontumi, has filed an application at the High Court seeking bail pending the determination of his appeal against his conviction.

The application, filed on August 5, 2026, states that the first appellant is currently incarcerated at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons.

The Notice of Motion, filed by his lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea of Zoe, Akyea & Co., invokes Section 96(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30) and Section 33(1) of the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459).

The application prays the court to admit Wontumi to bail pending the hearing and determination of his appeal, relying on the grounds set out in an accompanying affidavit.

The case is titled The Republic v. Bernard Antwi Boasiako @ Wontumi, Kwame Antwi (at large), and Akonta Mining Company Limited, with Wontumi listed as the first appellant/applicant and Akonta Mining Company Limited as the third appellant.

The application has been scheduled to be moved before the High Court, Criminal Division ‘4’ in Accra on August 19, 2026.

Copies of the application have been served on the Office of the Attorney-General as the respondent, as well as the Director of the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons.

The High Court is expected to determine whether Wontumi should be granted bail while his appeal against the conviction is pending.

Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment after Criminal Court 4 Division of the High Court found him guilty on all six charges brought against him.

He, together with Akonta Mining Limited and a third accused person, Kwame Antwi, was prosecuted over illegal mining activities on the company's concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.

Prosecutors said the accused unlawfully assigned mineral rights on the concession without the approval of the sector minister and facilitated mining operations without the required authorisation, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act.