OSP secures conviction for Wontumi's aide in galamsey bribery case

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has secured a conviction for Thomas Andy Owusu, an aide to Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in a corruption case tied to illegal mining licensing.

The High Court in Accra on Tuesday convicted Owusu, the second accused person in the case of The Republic v. Charles Bissue and another person.

He was convicted on his own plea after the court accepted a plea agreement entered under section 71 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).

The charge was based on Corruption of a Public Officer and Accepting Bribe to Influence a Public Officer.

The case stems from the 2019 "Galamsey Fraud Part One" investigation by Tiger Eye PI, which implicated Owusu and then-presidential staffer Charles Bissue in facilitating illegal mining licences for bribes, bypassing official processes.

According to the agreement, Owusu will pay a fine of 500 penalty units (equivalent to GH¢6,000), and Restitution of GH¢200,000 to the state for bribing a public officer with GH¢15,000.

Following his conviction, the court struck out two additional charges — Corruption of a Public Officer and accepting bribe to Influence a public officer.

Owusu’s conviction narrows the case to focus solely on the first accused, Charles Bissue, accused of Using Public Office for Profit, contrary to section 179C(b) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

His trial will continue on 10 June 2025 with a scheduled Case Management Conference.