The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the government of political persecution following the conviction and 20-year prison sentence handed to its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, in an illegal mining case.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the party’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, announced that the NPP had already initiated the appeal process, insisting the High Court’s decision was fundamentally flawed and should be overturned.
“While we respect the authority of our courts, respect for the judiciary does not require silence in the face of a judgment that is fundamentally flawed,” Mr Kodua said, stressing that the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to challenge court decisions through the appellate process.
Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years in prison after the High Court found him guilty over illegal mining activities linked to Akonta Mining Limited. Prosecutors argued that he unlawfully allowed third parties to operate on the company’s mining concession without obtaining the required ministerial approval.
However, the NPP maintains that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt.
According to Mr Kodua, there was no dispute that Wontumi legally acquired the mining concession. He argued that the prosecution failed to prove that the NPP chairman had assigned or transferred his mineral rights, claiming the conviction relied on assumptions rather than conclusive evidence.
“We firmly believe that this conviction is a travesty of justice and has to be overturned on appeal,” he stated.
The party also accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of applying the fight against illegal mining selectively by pursuing political opponents while allegedly overlooking individuals within its own ranks who have been linked to galamsey.
Mr Kodua questioned the progress of investigations involving persons the NPP claims are associated with illegal mining, arguing that the government’s anti-galamsey campaign would only gain credibility if the law was enforced fairly and without political bias.
“The fight against illegal mining cannot become credible only when it targets political opponents… while overlooking allegations involving others, especially from the President’s own party,” he said.
Reaffirming the party’s support for its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Mr Kodua said the NPP’s legal team had already begun the necessary steps to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
“Our legal team has already commenced the necessary steps to challenge this judgment through the appellate process. The NPP considers Wontumi a POLITICAL PRISONER,” he declared.
