Chairman Wontumi's Aide, Thomas Andy Owusu Convicted in Galamsey Bribery Case
Thomas Andy Owusu, aide to NPP’s Chairman Wontumi, has been convicted for bribery in the galamsey corruption case exposed by Tiger Eye PI. He enters a plea deal and pays GHS 206,000 in fines and restitution.
Joana Bhrooks 
The High Court has convicted Thomas Andy Owusu, an aide to NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (popularly known as Chairman Wontumi), for his role in a high-profile corruption scandal involving illegal mining licenses.
Owusu, the second accused in the case titled The Republic v. Charles Bissue & Another, was convicted on his own plea after entering into a plea agreement under Section 71 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
He pleaded guilty to Corruption of a Public Officer and Accepting Bribe to Influence a Public Officer.
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Tiger Eye PI Exposé and Charges
The charges stem from the explosive 2019 “Galamsey Fraud Part One” investigation by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his team at Tiger Eye PI. The exposé implicated Owusu and then-presidential staffer Charles Bissue in the facilitation of mining licenses for financial gain, bypassing legal procedures and enabling illegal mining operations, also known as galamsey.
Details of the Plea Deal
As part of the plea bargain, Owusu agreed to:
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Pay a fine of 500 penalty units (equivalent to GHS 6,000)
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Make restitution of GHS 200,000 to the state
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Admit to offering GHS 15,000 as a bribe to influence a public officer
Following his conviction, the Court struck out two additional charges, simplifying the case.
Focus Now on Charles Bissue
With Owusu’s conviction finalized, the case now centers on Charles Bissue, the former secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining. He faces a charge of Using Public Office for Profit, contrary to Section 179C(b) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Bissue’s trial is scheduled to continue on 10 June 2025, with a Case Management Conference to determine the next legal steps.
This conviction marks a significant development in the OSP’s ongoing efforts to root out corruption in Ghana’s mining sector. It also reaffirms the impact of investigative journalism in prompting legal accountability.
