The Spokesperson for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Akbar Yussif Khomeini, has pledged that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will pursue every available legal avenue until the rights of Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, are vindicated.
Mr Khomeini explained that Dr Bawumia’s visit to the former NPP National Chairman aspirant was intended to demonstrate the party’s solidarity and reassure him that he has the party’s full support following his conviction by the High Court.
The visit, he noted, also conveyed the party leadership’s commitment to contesting the judgment through the legal system. Mr Khomeini disclosed that Dr Bawumia convened an emergency meeting with some of the party’s leading legal minds to review the ruling and determine the next course of action.
“A travesty of justice ought not to be encouraged or entertained, and whenever anybody suffers such an injustice, it should be a serious concern for the rest of the country.”
Akbar Yussif Khomeini
According to the Spokesperson, the process has already begun with the preparation of a notice of appeal by a legal team led by former Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta Kyea. Mr Khomeini said the decision to appeal follows the legal team’s assessment of the judgment, during which they identified issues they believe warrant consideration by the appellate courts.
He added that while the party has continued to stand by Wontumi politically, it considers the appeal process the appropriate means of contesting the conviction through the country’s legal framework.
Turning to the party’s broader position, Mr Khomeini argued that the case has become a matter of principle for the NPP. He said the party’s response demonstrates its commitment to supporting the Chairman and all members within the party.
NPP Legal Team Explores Multiple Routes To Challenge Conviction
The Spokesperson for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Akbar Yussif Khomeini, outlined several legal avenues the New Patriotic Party (NPP) intends to pursue in its bid to challenge the conviction of Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi. He explained that the party’s strategy extends beyond an appeal against the substantive judgment and also includes an existing challenge related to the conduct of the trial.
Mr Khomeini pointed to an appeal arising from the dismissal of a submission of no case made by Wontumi’s lawyers after the prosecution closed its case. He said that process would allow the appellate courts to review whether the trial had been properly conducted.
According to him, the party’s legal team is also preparing a separate notice of appeal against the substantive judgment. In addition, the NPP is examining constitutional issues arising from the judge’s refusal to refer a constitutional question to the Supreme Court.
“You convict an accused on the basis of the evidence led by the prosecution, but not the weaknesses in his defence.”
Akbar Yussif Khomeini
Beyond the legal arguments, Mr Khomeini also commented on Wontumi’s condition in prison. He described the former NPP National Chairman aspirant as being in high spirits and that the Chairman commended the professionalism of the prison officers attending to him.
“We are confident that an appeal process would succeed because it is a fundamental principle that has been around for centuries.”
Akbar Yussif Khomeini
The NPP Spokesperson added that Wontumi continues to maintain his innocence. He also said the detained politician questioned why individuals who allegedly admitted to certain acts and ownership of seized equipment have been treated differently during the prosecution.
Mr Khomeini argued that the case raises broader concerns about public confidence in the justice system and therefore merits further judicial examination. He further linked the matter to the NPP’s wider political concerns, saying some party members believe opposition figures could be vulnerable to the misuse of state institutions.
Mr Khomeini argued that the case has taken on broader political significance, with the NPP emphasising that Wontumi’s conviction raises concerns about the treatment of opposition figures and the use of state institutions. He said the party would continue to challenge the judgement through every available legal avenue, expressing confidence that the appellate courts would provide a fair opportunity to address the issues it believes arise from the case.
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