Akonta Mining operations manager granted GH¢10m bail in forest reserve case

The Operations Manager of Akonta Mining, Kwadwo Owusu Bempah, has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢10 million by a court in Accra. He is to provide three sureties, one of whom must be justified.

Owusu Bempah is the fifth accused person in an ongoing case involving alleged illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. He is standing trial together with:

Akonta Mining Limited

Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi)

Kwame Antwi

Edward Akuoko

The case centres on claims that the company and its officers engaged in mining-related activities inside the protected forest reserve without lawful authority.

Although he was initially listed on the charge sheet as “at large”, his lawyer, Andrew Vortia, told journalists that his client had voluntarily reported to the police about three weeks earlier.

Owusu Bempah was granted police enquiry bail at that time, but was re-arrested on Monday, 12 January after failing to report back to the police as required under the terms of that bail.

He appeared before court on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, where he pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Prosecutors have charged him with:

Undertaking mining operations without a licence

Abetting the unauthorised felling of trees

Abetting the unauthorised erection of structures within a forest reserve

According to the prosecution, Akonta Mining holds valid concessions at Samreboi and Abekoase in the Western Region, both outside the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.

However, an application by the company to mine within the reserve itself was refused by the authorities.

Despite that refusal, investigators say Chairman Wontumi, described in court as a shareholder acting on behalf of Akonta Mining, allegedly entered the forest reserve, felled trees and put up structures without permission.

Three accused persons – Chairman Wontumi (representing Akonta Mining) and General Manager Edward Akuoko – were initially arrested and brought before the court.
Two others, shareholder Kwame Antwi and Operations Manager Kwadwo Owusu Bempah, were at that stage listed as being at large.

While Owusu Bempah has now been arrested and granted bail, Kwame Antwi remains on the run, according to the charge sheet.

In November 2025, the state announced its intention to drop charges against General Manager Edward Akuoko and call him as a prosecution witness instead.

Prosecutors have indicated they plan to amend the charge sheet to formally remove his name as an accused person, as the trial over the alleged illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve continues.