Edward Akuoko, former manager of Akonta Mining Company Limited, has publicly defended his decision to become a state witness in the ongoing illegal mining case against his former employer and Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
Akuoko confirmed he accepted the offer from prosecutors to testify against Wontumi out of personal interest. Speaking on Accra-based OKAY FM on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, he stated he willingly took the deal after weighing the advantages and disadvantages.
Akuoko emphasized that prosecutors did not force him into the agreement, saying he applied to accept it himself. He dismissed suggestions that the Attorney General pressured him into cooperating with the state.
The former mining executive explained that none of the party’s senior leaders reached out to check on his wellbeing after his arrest alongside Wontumi. He noted that solidarity messages appeared directed exclusively toward Wontumi, with none extended to him.
Akuoko painted a stark picture of his situation compared to his former boss. He stated that people do not know him, so he must protect himself, while Wontumi could receive a presidential pardon if the NPP returns to power, leaving Akuoko potentially forgotten. He added that when he and Wontumi were handcuffed together at court, big party leaders never reached out to him or inquired about his situation.
The mining manager claimed that expert advisers warned him about potential imprisonment and recommended becoming a prosecution witness to avoid jail time. He also revealed that senior NPP members he consulted advised him to become a prosecution witness given the circumstances.
Despite his cooperation with prosecutors, Akuoko insisted he would not lie against Wontumi but would speak truthfully about the entire case.
The Office of the Attorney General withdrew all charges against Akuoko under Section 59 of the Criminal and Other Offences Procedure Act, 1960. A notice filed at the Accra High Court on Monday, November 3, 2025, signed by Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem Sai, confirmed his discharge from all criminal charges.
Akuoko admitted that Akonta Mining failed to complete necessary documentation for operations in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. He stated this revelation would form part of his testimony as a prosecution witness, noting that Chairman Wontumi publicly acknowledged this during the trial.
Akuoko had been standing trial alongside Akonta Mining Limited, Chairman Wontumi, Operations Manager Kwadwo Owusu Bempah, and co-director Kwame Antwi, with the latter two remaining at large. The accused faced multiple charges including undertaking mining operations without a licence, felling trees in a forest reserve without authorization, and erecting structures in a forest reserve without approval.
Investigations began after petitions alleged Akonta Mining conducted illegal operations within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve without required permits. Although the company reportedly secured leases in Samreboi and Abekoase in July 2022, its application to mine within the forest reserve was rejected in August 2022.
Despite the rejection, the company allegedly deployed excavators into the protected area and began full-scale operations. Officials later discovered unauthorized structures, including checkpoints and makeshift accommodation for miners. The state alleges activities in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve destroyed approximately 13 hectares of land, including the bed and banks of the Tano River, causing severe environmental pollution.
The charge sheet referenced an incident on August 17, 2022, when a joint team from the Forestry Commission, Samartex Timber and Plywood Company, and journalists was allegedly confronted by an armed group led by Akuoko and Bempah.
Chairman Wontumi, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges in both cases, remains on bail of GHS 15 million with three sureties for the Samreboi case and GHS 10 million with two sureties for the Tano Nimiri Forest case.
The first case, involving allegations that Wontumi permitted mining activities on his concession at Samreboi without required ministerial approval, was adjourned to November 12, 2025. The second case, stemming from accusations of extensive mining operations within the protected Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve, has been postponed to December 4, 2025, because the presiding judge is currently on leave.