The imprisoned Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, commonly referred to as Chairman Wontumi, has expressed his apologies to President John Dramani Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama for any derogatory comments he made about them during the campaign for the upcoming 2024 general election.
This apology is issued while Wontumi is serving a 20-year prison sentence due to his conviction for illegal mining activities in the Samreboi Forest.
In an interview, Wontumi’s spokesperson, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, stated that the former Ashanti Regional Chairman extended this apology as a sign of goodwill and urged President Mahama to contemplate granting him clemency.
“The primary step is to offer an apology, which I believe is significant. The former Chairman extends his apologies if, at any point, the discussions became excessive, which was never his intention,” Boakye-Danquah remarked.
He emphasized, however, that this apology should not be construed as an acknowledgment that the political rivalry between Wontumi and President Mahama had any bearing on the legal actions that led to his conviction.
“Not in the least. We recognize that there are influences in this country. If one can identify those influences and start to make reparations, I believe we can create a better society for everyone,” he asserted.
Boakye-Danquah reiterated that the request for forgiveness was intended to foster reconciliation, rather than implying that political factors influenced Wontumi’s prosecution or sentencing.
Chairman Wontumi has received a 20-year prison sentence after the Criminal Court 4 Division of the High Court found him guilty on all six charges against him.
Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining Limited, and a co-defendant, Kwame Antwi, faced prosecution for alleged illegal mining activities on the company’s concession in Samreboi, located in the Western Region.
The prosecution asserts that the defendant improperly allocated mineral rights on the concession without obtaining the necessary approval from the sector minister and enabled mining operations without the requisite authorization, in violation of the Minerals and Mining Act.
