New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer for the 2028 elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on Wednesday, visited the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison following his conviction in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case.
The visit comes two days after the High Court in Accra sentenced Chairman Wontumi to 20 years’ imprisonment on each of two counts, with the sentences to run concurrently.
According to the NPP, the visit formed part of the party’s response to what it describes as an unjust judgment. The party maintains that Wontumi’s conviction amounts to political persecution.
As leader and presidential candidate of the NPP, Dr Bawumia is said to have considered it important to personally visit the Ashanti Regional Chairman to offer encouragement and solidarity.
During the visit, Dr Bawumia assessed Wontumi’s condition and assured him that the party would pursue every legal avenue available to challenge the conviction.
The NPP flagbearer has also mobilised the party’s legal team to support lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea in filing an appeal against the High Court’s decision.
Atta Akyea, who was expected to return to Ghana on Wednesday night, is anticipated to file the appeal in the coming days.
Chairman Wontumi was convicted by the High Court on Monday, July 20, and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment on each of two counts, to run concurrently. The court also imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units on each count.
Akonta Mining Limited, which was tried alongside Wontumi, was convicted on two counts and fined 15,000 penalty units.
Before delivering its judgment, the High Court dismissed an application by the defence seeking to refer constitutional issues raised in the case to the Supreme Court for interpretation.
Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ruled that the application lacked merit and proceeded to deliver judgment.
Following the ruling, lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea criticised the court’s decision, arguing that the constitutional issues ought to have been referred to the Supreme Court. He subsequently confirmed that the defence would appeal the conviction.
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