The incarcerated Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has apologised to President John Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama.
This was in regard to remarks he made about them during the campaign ahead of the 2024 general election, while appealing for clemency following his conviction for illegal mining.
Wontumi, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted over illegal mining activities in the Samreboi Forest, conveyed the apology through his spokesperson, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, during an interview with Citi FM.
According to Boakye-Danquah, the apology was offered as a gesture of goodwill and formed part of an appeal for the President to consider exercising his prerogative of mercy.
“The first call is to render an apology, and I think that is important. Former Chairman renders an apology to him if, at some stage, the conversations went overboard, which was never intended,” Boakye-Danquah said.
He, however, insisted that the apology should not be interpreted as an admission that political differences between Wontumi and President Mahama influenced the legal process that led to his conviction.
“Not at all. We are aware that in this country there are influences. If you are able to identify those influences and begin making amends, I think we build a better society for all of us to live in,” he said, adding that the appeal for forgiveness was intended to promote reconciliation rather than suggest political interference in the prosecution.
Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment after Criminal Court 4 Division of the High Court found him guilty on all six charges brought against him.
He, together with Akonta Mining Limited and a third accused person, Kwame Antwi, was prosecuted over illegal mining activities on the company’s concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.
Prosecutors said the accused unlawfully assigned mineral rights on the concession without the approval of the sector minister and facilitated mining operations without the required authorisation, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act.
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