The justice system has been turned upside down — Oppong Nkrumah on Wontumi's 20-year sentence

The Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has criticised the 20-year prison sentence handed to New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining Company Limited and the second accused, Kwame Antwi, who remains at large, were convicted on six counts relating to the unlawful assignment of mineral rights and purposely facilitating unlicensed mining operations within Akonta Mining's concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.

The prosecution said Wontumi, as owner and controlling director of Akonta Mining, permitted Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi to undertake mining activities within the company's concession in 2024 without obtaining the mandatory written approval of the Minister responsible for mining, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act.

An Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie Tay, on Monday, July 20, sentenced Chairman Wontumi to 20 years' imprisonment and imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units, with an additional three-year custodial sentence in default of payment.

Reacting in a social media post on Tuesday, July 21, the former Information Minister accused the government of applying selective justice and shielding individuals affiliated with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) while pursuing political opponents.

"Several NDC persons whose submission of no case had been rejected by the courts and had a case to answer, have been left off the hook by the NDC prosecutors and the courts," Mr Oppong Nkrumah wrote.

He argued that Wontumi's conviction was not based on engaging in illegal mining but on allegations that a former mining concession assigned for reclamation was later used for mining by another person.

The lawmaker also questioned why the individual who allegedly carried out the mining activities had not been punished.

"This is not law or justice. It is a weaponising of the justice delivery system. This is why the NPP considers Wontumi a political prisoner. The justice system has been turned upside down," he stated.

Similarly, the opposition NPP has described the prosecution as politically-motivated and has vowed to challenge the ruling through an appeal.