The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that he rejected several plea deal offers made by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, in relation to his ongoing illegal mining case.
Wontumi, who is the first accused in a case involving Akonta Mining Company Limited, is facing multiple charges, including facilitating unlicensed mining operations and assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Addressing journalists at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, October 22, Dr. Ayine stressed that he has not been influenced or pressured by anyone, including President John Dramani Mahama or the Chief of Staff, to negotiate plea bargains in any criminal case.
“I’m under no pressure from any quarters to cut deals,” Dr. Ayine stated. “Mr. President, who is my boss, has not put any pressure on me. He gives me his blessings when I brief him. The Chief of Staff has not put pressure on me to cut deals with anybody.”
He confirmed that several offers had been made in the Wontumi case but insisted on allowing the judicial process to take its full course.
“Offers have been made, but I have turned all of them down. I have told everybody, please go to court. In the Wontumi case, offers were made to us for a plea bargain, but I said no — I’m filing charges. If you want to announce your intention for a plea deal, do it before the judge. That is now my strategy,” he explained.
Dr. Ayine dismissed claims that he was negotiating plea deals with NPP officials, describing such reports as politically motivated.
“The NPP took advantage and said I was cutting deals. No deals have been cut and no deal will be cut,” he maintained.
Chairman Wontumi has been granted bail in two separate rulings by different High Courts in Accra.
In the first ruling, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay granted him bail in the sum of GH¢15 million with three sureties, two of whom must justify with landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
In the second case, Justice Ruby Aryeetey granted Wontumi and Edward Akuoko, the Operations Manager of Akonta Mining, GH¢10 million bail each with two sureties, one of whom must justify with property.
Wontumi has since met the bail conditions and been released from custody as proceedings continue in both cases involving Akonta Mining Company Limited.
