Afia Schwarzenegger Fires Shots: Wontumi’s 20‑Year Sentence Is a Warning to All ‘Untouchable’ Politicians

VALENTINA NANA Agyeiwaa, popularly known as Afia Schwarzenegger, has urged political figures in Ghana to exercise caution while in power, stressing that political authority is temporary and can vanish at any moment.

Reacting to the 20‑year jail term handed to New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, Afia said the embattled politician once carried himself as an “untouchable” during his party’s time in power.

“This judgment awarded to Chairman should be a lesson to all political figures in this country. If today you have power to make things happen, tomorrow you may not wield power again, so you need to tread cautiously.”

Afia added that she feels no sympathy for Wontumi.

“As for me, I don’t in any terms feel sympathy for him. He deserves what he got.”

Background to the Afia–Wontumi Feud

The long‑running misunderstanding between Afia Schwarzenegger and Chairman Wontumi stems from a defamation and contempt of court case that began in 2022.

Afia appeared on UTV’s United Showbiz, hosted by Nana Ama McBrown, where she publicly claimed she had been in an amorous relationship with Chairman Wontumi. She made further graphic allegations on the show. Co‑panelists Kwame A Plus and Mr Logic also commented, while Fadda Dickson served as executive producer.

Wontumi, through his lawyer Maurice Ampaw, sued Afia, UTV, Nana Ama McBrown, A Plus, Mr Logic and Fadda Dickson for discussing the merits of a case already before the court, arguing that their comments could compromise a fair trial.

The Tema High Court convicted them for contempt.

• Afia was sentenced to 10 days in prison and ordered to pay GH¢60,000 to Wontumi for defamatory comments.
• She was absent from court, prompting a bench warrant.
• The other panelists were each fined GH¢60,000 or two months in jail in default.

Afia later appeared in court on December 20, 2022, pleading for mercy. On January 31, 2023, the court substituted her jail term with a GH¢60,000 fine (5,000 penalty units), a 36‑month bond of good behaviour, and an order not to comment on the case on any platform.

BY Prince Fiifi Yorke