Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, reportedly anticipated his conviction before the Accra High Court delivered its judgment on Monday, July 20, 2026.
According to his lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, Wontumi informed him on the morning of the ruling that he had received intelligence suggesting he would be convicted and sentenced.
Speaking after the court proceedings, Appiah-Kubi disclosed that his client had already instructed the defence team to prepare for an appeal, indicating that they were ready to challenge any adverse ruling handed down by the court.
The Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, found Chairman Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining Company Limited, guilty on charges including the unauthorised assignment of mineral rights and facilitating unlicensed mining activities in Samreboi.
Following the conviction, the court sentenced Wontumi to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
Appiah-Kubi said the legal team had anticipated the possibility of an unfavourable outcome and had begun preparations to contest the judgment through the appellate courts.
He noted that the defence intends to file the necessary legal processes to challenge both the conviction and the sentence, maintaining that the ruling would be subjected to judicial review by a higher court.
Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party has strongly criticised the judgment, describing it as unsupported by the evidence presented during the trial. Party leaders have reaffirmed their confidence in Wontumi’s innocence and pledged to pursue all lawful legal avenues to overturn the conviction.
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