Ghana court jails opposition politician for 20 years over illegal mining

A Ghanaian court jailed opposition politician Bernard Antwi-Boasiako for 20 years on Monday after finding him guilty of illegal mining offences.

The High Court in Accra found Antwi-Boasiako guilty on all six charges against him. The charges included the unlawful assignment of mineral rights and the intentional facilitation of unlicensed mining operations in gold-mining areas.

Antwi-Boasiako is the leader of the opposition New Patriotic Party in Ghana's Ashanti Region. He is widely known as Chairman Wontumi.

The case followed the April 2025 arrest of several miners and the seizure of excavators, firearms and cash during a police raid on illegal mining operations.

Judge Audrey Kocuvie-Tay said the allegation was never contested and that Antwi-Boasiako had admitted that no ministerial approval had been received.

The 20-year sentence is within Ghana's statutory punishment range of 15 to 25 years.

Ghana, a gold-rich country, has been trying to curb illegal mining, known locally as galamsey. The practice has expanded in recent years and has been linked in the source to environmental pollution, threats to cocoa production and political corruption.

Authorities say galamsey operations have destroyed forests and polluted waterways, and cost Ghana about $2.0 billion each year.

The opposition has accused the government of President John Mahama, which took office last year, of selectively targeting its members. The government says its investigations and prosecutions are based on evidence and are not politically motivated.

Antwi-Boasiako's party, the New Patriotic Party, governed Ghana from 2017 to 2025 before losing power to Mahama's National Democratic Congress.

Several New Patriotic Party figures, including former finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta, have faced investigations or legal proceedings since the National Democratic Congress returned to power.

Antwi-Boasiako has the right to appeal against both the conviction and the sentence.