Former Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Dalko-Mensah has advised the Accra Excessive Court docket that Akonta Mining Restricted performed the function of whistleblower by reporting unlawful mining actions on its concession to state authorities.
In accordance with him, it was Akonta Mining that in his time as regional minister and REGSEC chairman reported unlawful mining actions within the Samreboi mining space to the Western Regional Safety Council (REGSEC).
“Moderately, it was Akonta Mining that reported unlawful mining on the web site,” Darko Mensah, who’s testifying as a protection witness in a case involving Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly often called Chairman Wontumi, and Akonta Mining Restricted, advised the court docket on Monday (1 June 2026).
Witnesses additionally submitted supplementary witness statements together with a lot of paperwork, together with undertaking summaries, assembly minutes, Every day Graphic newspaper publications, and World Financial institution undertaking bulletins.
cross-examination
Throughout cross-examination by Deputy Legal professional Basic Justice Sreem Sai, the witness denied any suggestion that he was showing in court docket on behalf of the Western Regional Coordination Council, the New Patriotic Social gathering (NPP) or his personal authorities.
Query: “Are you right here to testify for the accused on behalf of the Western Regional Coordinating Council?
Reply: No.
Query: “Are you right here on behalf of the New Patriotic Social gathering authorities of which you have been a minister to testify on behalf of the accused?
Reply: No.
Q. Are you right here to testify for the accused on behalf of the Takoradi constituency as a Member of Parliament?
12 months.
Q. Do you may have permission or permission from any of the next companies to make use of official info to testify on this court docket? Is it the Western Regional Coordination Council, the Regional Safety Council (REGSEC), the New Patriotic Social gathering or the Authorities of the Republic of Ghana?
12 months.
Mr Darko-Mensah defined that he was testifying primarily based on his expertise as a Ghanaian citizen and a former provincial minister.
“I’m testifying to my expertise as a Ghanaian citizen, as a authorities practitioner and as a former Western Regional Minister,” he mentioned.
The previous minister additionally advised the court docket that unlawful mining was one of the severe safety and environmental challenges confronted by the western area throughout his tenure.
Nevertheless, he admitted that he had not personally witnessed Akonta Mining conducting any mining operations on this concession.
mining lease
When requested in regards to the validity of Akonta Mining’s mine lease and the court docket’s choice involving Samaltex Timber and Plywood Firm Restricted and Akonta Mining, Dalcomensah acknowledged the judgment however maintained that the court docket’s choice got here after the actions taken by REGSEC in 2021.
“On the time the lease was despatched to me, it was 2021 and the court docket had not reached such a conclusion. This judgment is dated Might 19, 2023,” he mentioned.
He additional acknowledged that selections made by him and REGSEC in 2021 can’t be evaluated utilizing judgments rendered two years later.
“The regulation doesn’t function retrospectively. If I decide in 2021 and the court docket guidelines in 2023, that won’t have an effect on my choice to take away unlawful miners at that web site in 2021,” he mentioned.
good citizenship
The witness additionally denied claims that he was extra involved in defending the Akonta mine than defending the setting or nationwide safety.
He advised the court docket that in his tenure, he had coordinated anti-galamsey actions involving a number of mining corporations and civil society organizations.
“I’ve been coordinating anti-Galamsey operations throughout the Western area, together with giant corporations akin to AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields and Golden Star,” he mentioned.
He added that Akonta Mining deserves reward for drawing the authorities’ consideration to unlawful mining actions.
“Ghanaians who report unlawful mining and environmental destruction needs to be thought of good residents,” he mentioned.
When requested whether or not he nonetheless stands by among the witness statements that described Akonta Mining as a very good company citizen regardless of the court docket’s ruling concerning Akonta Mining’s mining lease, he answered within the affirmative.
“Akonta Mining demonstrated good citizenship by sounding the alarm on unlawful mining on the web site,” he mentioned.
“The fundamental concept is that whistleblowers are good residents.”
witness assertion
In his witness assertion, Mr Dalkomensah mentioned Akonta Mining had repeatedly delivered to the eye of state authorities unlawful mining actions within the Samleboi concession.
The previous regional minister mentioned that as chair of REGSEC, he handled stories of unlawful mining as a matter of nationwide safety, bearing in mind the environmental, social and financial impacts.
He mentioned the intervention made by REGSEC concerning this concession was primarily based on stories acquired from Akonta Mining and different stakeholders concerning the actions of unlawful miners.
He asserted that the corporate cooperates with state establishments in efforts to fight unlawful mining and shield the setting.
The witness additional acknowledged that the safety interventions carried out on this mining space have been in keeping with measures adopted all through the Western Area to fight unlawful mining and weren’t distinctive to the Akonta mining trade.
