Court to rule on Chairman Wontumi’s bail application November 4

The High Court has adjourned to November 4, 2026, to deliver its ruling on a bail application filed by former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, pending an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

The adjournment followed arguments from the legal teams representing Chairman Wontumi and the state during Thursday’s hearing.

Chairman Wontumi’s legal team was led by former Attorney-General Samuel Atta Akyea, while Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai represented the state.

Wontumi is serving a 20-year prison sentence following his conviction for permitting mining activities on his Samreboi concession without the approval of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources. He is seeking temporary release while challenging his conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal.

During the hearing, Samuel Atta Akyea urged the court to grant his client bail, arguing that the circumstances of the case justified his temporary release while the appeal process continued.

He maintained that granting bail would enable Wontumi to prepare his appeal effectively and participate in two other criminal cases he is facing.

Atta Akyea also argued that his client was not a flight risk, pointing to his compliance with previous bail conditions before his conviction.

He further asked the court to consider the 19 grounds of appeal outlined in the notice of appeal, contending that they had a reasonable likelihood of success and supported the application for bail pending appeal.

The defence's position was that temporary release would allow Wontumi to pursue the appeal while addressing the other legal proceedings involving him.

Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai opposed the application, arguing that the grounds presented by the defence were ordinary grounds that could be raised by any appellant challenging a conviction.

He submitted that established case law required an applicant seeking bail pending appeal to demonstrate exceptional circumstances, which, in the state's view, had not been established in Wontumi's case.

On the question of flight risk, Dr Srem-Sai argued that the appellant's conduct during the trial could not, on its own, reliably establish whether he would abscond if released.

He also contended that the possibility of additional prison sentences in the other criminal cases facing Wontumi could provide an incentive for him to flee if granted bail.

The Deputy Attorney-General further referred to a video involving Wontumi's former lawyer, in which the lawyer allegedly spoke about a plan by Wontumi to run over law enforcement officers to avoid arrest. He cited the incident as part of the state's argument against granting bail.

These submissions formed part of the prosecution's opposition to the request for temporary release.

Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, who convicted and sentenced Wontumi in July 2026, also questioned Atta Akyea about the progress made in preparing the appeal.

In response, the defence lawyer indicated that efforts were underway to compile the records of appeal for onward transmission to the Court of Appeal.

The preparation and transmission of the records form part of the process required for the appeal against the conviction and sentence to proceed.

Following the arguments, Justice Kocuvie-Tay adjourned the matter to November 4, 2026, when she is expected to deliver her ruling on whether Chairman Wontumi should be granted bail pending appeal.

The decision will determine whether he can be temporarily released while his challenge to the conviction and sentence proceeds before the Court of Appeal.