Lawyers for the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, say they will file an appeal against his conviction next week and immediately apply for bail pending appeal.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, July 26, lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea said the defence team was finalising the appeal and remained optimistic that the Court of Appeal would grant Wontumi bail while the case is being determined.
He confirmed that an application for bail pending appeal would be filed together with the appeal.
“That’s when we will do that,” Mr. Atta Akyea said when asked whether the defence intended to seek bail pending appeal.
The former Abuakwa South MP expressed confidence that the appellate court would apply the law fairly and allow his client to remain out of custody while the appeal is heard.
“I’m hoping that the judges should apply the law and then we could get him out and contest the appeal,” he stated.
Explaining the basis of the appeal, Mr. Atta Akyea argued that the conviction and sentence should be set aside if the appeal succeeds.
“The appeal is simply saying, look, if the appeal should succeed, that is it,” he said.
He also questioned the severity of the sentence imposed by the High Court, contending that the trial judge should have considered imposing the statutory minimum sentence, particularly because Wontumi was a first-time offender.
“I thought they would even consider the minimum, which is 15,” he argued.
Background
The Accra High Court sentenced Bernard Antwi-Boasiako to 20 years’ imprisonment after convicting him in connection with illegal mining activities on the Samreboi concession in the Western Region.
The conviction arose from a case involving Akonta Mining Limited, where the prosecution argued that the company permitted illegal mining operations on its concession without obtaining the required ministerial approval.
