The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has convened an emergency meeting with the party’s flagbearer and legal team to review the High Court judgment that sentenced Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years in prison with hard labour over illegal mining activities.
The meeting follows the landmark judgment delivered by the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra in the widely watched Samreboi mining case. According to the party, the meeting is intended to assess the court’s ruling and determine the appropriate legal and political response.
“The leadership of the New Patriotic Party, together with our Flagbearer and the Party’s legal team, is currently in a meeting to thoroughly review the judgement delivered by the Court in the case involving our Ashanti Regional Chairman, Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, concerning the Samreboi mining matter, and to determine the appropriate next course of action”.
NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong
The NPP said it will announce its official position after the leadership concludes its deliberations. “The Party will communicate its official position and the decisions arising from these deliberations in due course,” Mr. Frimpong stated.
Until then, the party has appealed to its members to remain calm and united. “In the meantime, I respectfully urge all members of our great Party to rally behind the leadership during this challenging moment. Let us remain calm, united, disciplined, and steadfast in our commitment to the values and interests of the New Patriotic Party.”
The appeal comes as party supporters and political observers await the NPP’s response to one of the most significant legal developments involving a senior party official.
High Court Hands Wontumi 20 Year Sentence
The emergency meeting follows the conviction of Chairman Wontumi by Justice Audrey Kocuvie Tay of the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra.
The court found him guilty of assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval and deliberately facilitating unlicensed mining activities within the concession of Akonta Mining Company Limited at Samreboi in the Western Region.
Justice Kocuvie Tay sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently. In addition to the custodial sentence, the court imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units on each count against Chairman Wontumi. Akonta Mining Company Limited was also convicted and fined 15,000 penalty units on each count.
The judgment is regarded as one of the most significant convictions in Ghana’s ongoing campaign against illegal mining. Before sentencing, Chairman Wontumi’s legal team, led by Samuel Atta Akyea, urged the court to exercise leniency.
The defence argued that the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman was a first time offender and a major employer whose contributions should be taken into account during sentencing.
Counsel also maintained that individuals working on the concession were engaged in land reclamation and coconut farming rather than illegal mining. The court, however, rejected those arguments and proceeded with both the conviction and sentencing.
More Legal Battles Ahead
Although the High Court has delivered its judgment, the legal process is not yet over. State prosecutors are pursuing a separate application seeking the forfeiture of excavators, vehicles, firearms, cash, and other equipment seized from the mining concession during investigations.
Chairman Wontumi also has the legal right to challenge both his conviction and sentence before the Court of Appeal. The outcome of any appeal could determine whether the High Court’s decision stands or is reviewed by a higher court.
The NPP has so far refrained from commenting on the substance of the judgment while its leadership continues deliberations with the party’s legal advisers. Many Ghanaians are watching closely to see whether the party will support an appeal or adopt a broader political position following the conviction.
For now, the party is urging restraint among its supporters while it finalises its official response. With the emergency meeting still underway, attention remains focused on the NPP leadership as it prepares to outline its next steps following the conviction of one of its most prominent regional executives in the Samreboi illegal mining case.
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