A lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, has described the conviction and imprisonment of Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, as a sad moment for Ghana, alleging that the case amounts to political victimisation.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen shortly after the court’s decision, Dr. Boakye-Danquah said he had accompanied Chairman Wontumi to court and was shocked by the outcome.
He expressed disappointment over the judgment, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to support the charges against the NPP regional chairman.
“I went to court with Wontumi this morning. To be fair, we didn’t expect this outcome. You could clearly see that there was nothing to show that Wontumi was involved in illegal mining, so we were very hopeful that the motion would be heard.
“It is a very sad day for this country. This is almost political victimisation of a politically exposed individual. It is sad,” he stated.
Dr. Boakye-Danquah questioned why Chairman Wontumi had been convicted while, according to him, other individuals allegedly involved in illegal mining activities were yet to face similar consequences.
“Is this what we are going to do to him when there are people still involved in galamsey and nothing is being done about it? We have been very law-abiding. There was no day that we missed court, and if you look at all the defence we brought, you could clearly see there was nothing that showed he committed what he is being accused of,” he said.
He added that watching Chairman Wontumi being transported to Nsawam Prison had left him emotionally devastated.
“I’m still very broken watching them take him to Nsawam. I was asking myself, how can we get to this stage in this country? We need to look at things well. I am totally broken and have already lost my appetite,” he said.
Chairman Wontumi was sentenced by the Accra High Court to 20 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty in the illegal mining case involving Akonta Mining Company Limited’s concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The court convicted Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining Company Limited and another accused person, Kwame Antwi, over unlawful mining activities on the concession. In addition to the custodial sentence, the court imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units, equivalent to GH¢120,000, with a default sentence of three years’ imprisonment if the fine is not paid. The custodial sentence and the default term attached to the fine are to run concurrently.
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