The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the 20-year prison sentence handed to its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, describing him as a “political prisoner” and insisting the conviction was not supported by credible evidence.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, July 20, 2026, the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said although the NPP respects the independence of the judiciary, it believes the High Court’s decision was fundamentally flawed.
“Respect for the courts does not mean we must remain silent when we believe justice has not been served,” Mr Kodua said.
He stressed that the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to challenge court decisions through the appellate process and confirmed that the party’s legal team has already begun preparations to appeal the judgment.
Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years in prison after the Accra High Court found him guilty of assigning mineral rights without the required ministerial approval and facilitating illegal mining through Akonta Mining Limited.
The NPP, however, rejected the verdict, arguing that prosecutors failed to establish beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Antwi-Boasiako unlawfully transferred or assigned the company’s mining concession.
According to Mr Kodua, the prosecution did not dispute that Wontumi legally acquired the concession but relied on assumptions rather than concrete evidence to secure the conviction.
“We believe this judgment amounts to a miscarriage of justice and we are confident it will be overturned on appeal,” he stated.
The party also accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of applying what it described as selective justice in the fight against illegal mining.
Mr Kodua alleged that while opposition figures were being prosecuted, claims involving individuals associated with the ruling party had not received the same level of attention from law enforcement agencies.
He argued that efforts to combat illegal mining would only be credible if the law was applied fairly, regardless of political affiliation.
“The fight against illegal mining cannot be seen as credible if it only targets political opponents while allegations against others are ignored,” he said.
Reaffirming the party’s support for its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Mr Kodua said the NPP would stand firmly behind Wontumi throughout the legal process.
“Our legal team has already initiated the appeal process, and the NPP considers Chairman Wontumi a political prisoner,” he declared.
