Defence counsel for Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Wontumi, told an Accra High Court on Monday that he intends to treat Detective Chief Inspector Eugene Akpoh Glover as a “star witness.”

At the ongoing trial of Boasiako, a businessman and Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in the Tano Nnimire illegal mining case, defence lawyer Andy Appiah-Kubi said the decision followed the prosecution’s (State) withdrawal of two witnesses.

Under further cross-examination by the defence, Detective Chief Inspector Glover maintained that his averments were factual.

He told the court that although Mr Martin Kpebu, a legal practitioner, and Mr Kenneth Ashigbey were listed as complainants, he had not personally met either of them.

The investigator, the prosecution’s third witness, admitted he did not initiate the probe but took over from a colleague. However, he rejected the assertion that he merely inherited a report.

“I built the report through several investigative activities, as reflected in the facts of the case,” he said, adding that investigations began in October 2022.

He told the court that he visited the Tano Nnimire Forest Reserve in July 2025, located in the Enchi District, but did not see Boasiako during that visit.

He acknowledged that there was no direct evidence placing Boasiako at the site and noted that investigations indicated he had not personally been there.

The investigator said he found traces linked to Akonta Mining Company Limited, including equipment bearing the company’s markings. Items observed included a washing plant, an excavator bucket, and metal pipe hoses.

He said one truck traced at the site belonged to Mr Owusu Bempah, a prosecution witness and former General Manager of Akonta Mining, who stated during interrogation that he acted in the company’s interest. Other equipment had no identifying marks.

Detective Chief Inspector Glover said links to Akonta Mining were established through witness interviews and a review of photographs and videos taken by individuals who had visited the reserve. These materials, he noted, had been tendered in evidence.

He testified that drone footage of Compartment 161 showed severe environmental degradation, including loss of vegetation, destruction of the Tano Nnimire River, and numerous pits and sand heaps.

The witness confirmed he was aware that Boasiako had petitioned the then-Western Regional Minister regarding illegal mining activities.

He said he interviewed multiple individuals, including community leaders in Samreboi, the Human Resources Manager of Samartex Timber and Plywood Ltd, forestry guards at the Nnimire Forest, and the Enchi District Forestry Commission officer.

Statements were taken from all, though he noted that he does not determine which witnesses testify.

He denied merely relaying unverified accounts, stating that all information was “duly verified and appeared factual.”

The investigator said illegal mining occurred in four forest compartments, with Compartment 161 the most affected.

He said he could not identify the individual illegal miners operating in the reserve.

He rejected the defence’s claim that Akonta Mining neither engaged in nor supported illegal mining activities. While he acknowledged that Boasiako denied ever mining in the forest reserve, he said police investigations indicated otherwise.

He also dismissed claims that the police report found no wrongdoing by Akonta Mining, insisting it contained evidence of active mining in the reserve.

The case has been adjourned to June 16, 2026.

Boasiako and Akonta Mining are charged with undertaking mining operations without a licence, felling 300 commercial trees in the Nnimire Forest Reserve, and constructing buildings there without the Forestry Commission's written authorisation.

He has pleaded not guilty and is on bail of GH₵10 million.

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Tano Nimire case: Defence to use investigator as star witness

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