The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced plans to challenge the conviction and 20-year prison sentence handed to its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, insisting the judgment will be tested before the Court of Appeal.
The party’s decision follows the Accra High Court’s ruling in the illegal mining case involving Chairman Wontumi, a verdict that has triggered strong reactions within the opposition party and sparked debate across the country.
Addressing journalists in Accra, NPP General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua said the party firmly disagrees with the court’s decision, arguing that the conviction did not meet the legal threshold required in a criminal trial. According to him, the judgment relied heavily on assumptions and inferences rather than evidence capable of proving guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr. Kodua stressed that the party’s legal team had already begun reviewing the full judgment and was confident that the appellate court would have the opportunity to re-examine the evidence and legal arguments presented during the trial.
He maintained that the NPP remains committed to pursuing every lawful avenue available to challenge what it believes is an unjust outcome. He also assured party supporters that the legal process was far from over and urged them to remain calm while the appeal is prepared.
The conviction of Chairman Wontumi has become one of the country’s most closely watched legal and political developments, given his influential role within the NPP and the broader public interest surrounding illegal mining activities.
Beyond the planned appeal, the party questioned the fairness of the prosecution, with its leadership expressing concern over what it described as selective enforcement in the fight against illegal mining. Party officials argued that efforts to combat environmental crimes must be applied fairly and consistently, regardless of political affiliation.
Meanwhile, the court’s decision has drawn mixed reactions from governance and civil society groups. While some organisations have welcomed the ruling as a demonstration of judicial accountability in the fight against illegal mining, others say the appellate process should be allowed to run its course before final conclusions are reached.
With the NPP confirming its intention to appeal, attention is now expected to shift to the Court of Appeal, where the party hopes to overturn both the conviction and the sentence imposed on its Ashanti Regional Chairman.
BY