Palgrave Boakye-Danquah describes Wontumi’s imprisonment as ‘political victimisation’

Spokesperson for Chairman Wontumi, Dr. Palgrave Boakye Danquah has described the conviction and imprisonment of Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, as a situation that resembles “political victimisation”.

Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight, Monday, July 20, after Wontumi was transferred to the Nsawam Prison following his conviction, Boakye-Danquah said the development was troubling and questioned whether such actions align with the principles of a democratic society.

He confirmed that Wontumi had been moved to the Nsawam Prison, where he has since arrived to begin serving his sentence.

“I can confirm that Chairman Wontumi has been taken to Nsawam, they sent him to Nsawam and I can confirm that he has arrived at Nsawam Prison.

“This can easily be likened to a political victimisation and almost a political prisoner who is not what you would ordinarily expect a democracy to have,” he said.

According to him, supporters and associates of Wontumi currently have no direct access to him and will only be able to check on his welfare after arrangements are made for a prison visit.

Boakye-Danquah, however, expressed confidence in Wontumi’s resilience, describing him as mentally strong and a person of faith who would endure the difficult period.

“I am very sure that he is doing very well, he is very mentally strong, he believes in God and I am very certain that the same God that we all believe in will anchor him through these very difficult moments,” he added.

The comments come after Chairman Wontumi was convicted and sentenced, leading to a debate among political actors and members of the public over the legal proceedings.

The Minority in Parliament has also condemned the conviction of Chairman Wontumi.

In a press release issued by the Minority Caucus in Parliament and signed by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, they stated that “the Minority will do whatever is lawfully and properly within its power, through Parliament and through public advocacy, to ensure that justice is done in this matter, and to ensure that the serious defects that have robbed this judgment of its legitimacy, the denial of counsel of choice, and the wrongful refusal to refer live constitutional questions to the Supreme Court, are confronted and corrected.

This is not a promise made lightly. It is a commitment we intend to keep, in full view of the public, until it is honoured.”

On Monday, 20 July, an Accra High Court convicted Chairman Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining, after finding them guilty of illegal mining offences at his Samreboi concession in the Western Region.

The lead counsel for the Ashanti Regional Chairman petitioned the court to adjourn the judgment against his client, which was slated for Monday, 20 July, citing that he was out of the jurisdiction and would return on 22 July.

In her ruling, however, the presiding judge, Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, noted that both parties had been consulted in determining the date for the judgment; hence, Atta Akyea should have communicated then if he knew he would not be available on the set date.

The court also dismissed the application for deferment and referral to the Supreme Court of some constitutional questions which the defence sought to have determined by the apex court.

Chairman Wontumi was charged with assigning mineral rights without approval from the minister responsible for mining, and facilitating unlicensed mining operations at Samreboi in the Western Region.

He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.