Wontumi Galamsey Trial: Witness admits Akonta Mining owner permitted him to mine at Samreboi
The second prosecution witness in the ongoing illegal mining trial involving Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has admitted under cross-examination that he did not personally hold a valid mining licence to operate at Samreboi, but was permitted by the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman to mine in the area.
The witness, Henry Okum, who told the court that he is a small-scale miner, indicated that although he has been engaged in small-scale mining for about seven years and obtained a licence in 2017, the licence was not issued in his personal name but in the name of a company he described as “C34,” which he said was used for community mining.
However, when pressed to produce the licence, Mr Okum failed to present it in court, stating instead that there was a video showing the launch of the company by a minister. He later contradicted himself by admitting that he did not, in fact, have a mining licence, but insisted that the presence of government officials at the site demonstrated official approval.
Under further questioning by lead counsel for Wontumi, Appiah Kubi, the witness acknowledged that small-scale mining licences are restricted to specific locations, but was unable to clearly state the exact area his licence permitted him to operate.
Okum claimed he operated at Samreboi under the authority of Akonta Mining Company Limited, which he said held a mining lease over the land.
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He testified that before moving to Samreboi, he conducted a search at the Minerals Commission and was informed that the concession belonged to Akonta Mining. This, he said, led him to approach Chairman Wontumi to seek permission to work on the land.
Okum admitted he was neither a director nor a board member of Akonta Mining, but insisted that Chairman Wontumi owned the company. He further told the court that a letter was sent to the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) on Akonta Mining’s letterhead, signed by Chairman Wontumi, to facilitate operations on the site.
“I don’t know Akonta Company, and again, before I went, it was Chairman who went to the operation on the ground for me through REGSEC, and the letter that we wrote to REGSEC had the Akonta Mining letterhead that was signed by Chairman Wontumi,” Okum responded when asked if he was granted permission by Wontumi.
Although the witness claimed to have a copy of the letter, he failed to produce it in court, but assured the court he could make it available if given the opportunity. The prosecution prayed for the document to be produced before the close of its case, a request the court granted.
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On the condition of the land, Okum admitted that the Samreboi concession was not virgin land, describing it as an area riddled with abandoned pits from previous illegal mining activities. He said Chairman Wontumi had informed him of existing illegalities on the land and advised that abandoned pits be covered before mining could commence.
The witness, however, rejected the suggestion that Chairman Wontumi’s complaint to REGSEC was solely about illegal mining, stating that the situation also created an opportunity for him to work on the land after the removal of illegal miners.
He confirmed that REGSEC, led by the Regional Security Commander in Tarkwa, later stormed the site, drove away illegal miners, and seized excavators found operating there, which he admitted belonged to the illegal miners.
Despite this, Okum maintained that Akonta Mining itself did not carry out mining operations at the site after the security operation, insisting that Chairman Wontumi handed over the concession to him to work on.
The case has been adjourned to Monday, January 19, for continuation.
