“Wontumi Is A Political Prisoner” — NPP Declares, Vows Appeal
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has declared its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, a political prisoner following his 20-year prison sentence by the High Court, describing the judgement as politically motivated and a miscarriage of justice.
The NPP General Secretary, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua, said the party believes Chairman Wontumi’s conviction was delivered in circumstances where there was no sufficient evidence to support the charges against him and has vowed to challenge the decision through the appellate process.
Addressing a press conference, lawyer Kodua said the party respects the authority of the judiciary but maintained that respect for the courts does not prevent citizens and institutions from expressing disagreement with judgements they consider flawed.
“The NPP considers Wontumi a political prisoner. The NPP as a political party considers Wontumi a political prisoner,” he stated.
According to him, Chairman Wontumi, being a political figure, has become the victim of what the party considers a politically charged prosecution.
He argued that the evidence presented in court did not establish that Wontumi unlawfully transferred or assigned his mineral rights, insisting that his mineral concession was legally acquired and that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“It is our considered view that Chairman Wontumi has been convicted in circumstances where there was no evidence at all to support a conviction in respect of the offence for which he has been convicted,” lawyer Kodua said.
He added that the conviction was based on assumptions and inferences rather than concrete evidence, describing the judgement as a “travesty of justice” that must be overturned on appeal.
The NPP General Secretary further accused the government of using the case to target political opponents while ignoring allegations involving individuals within the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He rejected claims that Chairman Wontumi’s conviction represents a major achievement in the fight against illegal mining, arguing that the government cannot claim success by prosecuting only perceived opponents.
“They think that the conviction of Chairman Wontumi would be the trophy to appease the Ghanaian people for their failures. This is no trophy,” he said.
Lawyer Kodua questioned why alleged cases involving some NDC members linked to illegal mining activities have not received the same attention and level of action.
He referenced President John Dramani Mahama’s admission that some persons within his administration are involved in galamsey and demanded clarity on what steps had been taken following that admission.
“Indeed, the president himself has acknowledged that persons in his administration are involved in galamsey. What concrete action has followed those admissions?” he asked.
He insisted that the fight against illegal mining must be applied fairly and equally, warning that selective enforcement would undermine public confidence.
“Justice cannot be selective. And I repeat, justice cannot be selective,” Lawyer Kodua stressed.
He also accused the government of attempting to divert attention from major national challenges, including the impact of illegal mining on farming communities, recent flooding and security threats in the sub-region.
According to him, Ghanaians require leadership that demonstrates competence and protects lives and livelihoods rather than relying on prosecutions to create an impression of achievement.
“No government should attempt to divert public attention from those pressing national concerns through selective prosecutions designed to create the appearance of success,” he stated.
Lawyer Kodua assured NPP supporters and the public that Chairman Wontumi would not face the legal battle alone, adding that the party’s legal team had already begun processes to appeal the judgement.
“The New Patriotic Party stands firmly with him. Our legal team has already commenced the necessary steps to challenge this judgement through the appellate process,” he said.
The NPP maintains that Chairman Wontumi was wrongly convicted and is confident that the appellate court will overturn the decision.
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