The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has averred that it will contest the conviction and sentencing of its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, calling the High Court’s ruling unfair and not backed by evidence presented at trial.
The party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, announced this to the media after an emergency National Executive Committee meeting held following the judgment in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case.
Mr. Kodua insisted that the court overlooked material evidence which, in the party’s view, cleared Chairman Wontumi of wrongdoing. He said there was no ground for the conviction and assured supporters that the fight in court would continue.
“There is no justification for the judgment since the judge obviously ignored clear evidence exonerating Wontumi. The New Patriotic Party stands firmly with him. Our legal team has already commenced the necessary steps to challenge this judgment through the appellate process,” he stated.
Aside from the appeal, the NPP accused the government of selective prosecution in its crackdown on illegal mining, arguing that the exercise loses legitimacy if it is seen to focus only on opposition figures.
“The fight against illegal mining cannot be credible when it targets only persons from the opposition. Ghanaians expect leadership that demonstrates urgency, competence and an unwavering commitment to protecting lives, livelihoods and national security,” Mr Kodua said.
He added that the government was using politically driven prosecutions to shift attention away from more urgent national problems.
The General Secretary also called Chairman Wontumi a “political prisoner,” and pledged that the NPP would back him all the way through the appeals process.
On Monday, the High Court in Accra handed Chairman Wontumi a 20-year prison term on each of the two counts he was found guilty of in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case. The terms will run at the same time.In addition to the jail term, the court imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units on each count against Wontumi. Akonta Mining Limited, convicted on two counts as well, was fined 15,000 penalty units per count.
