Wontumi picks NPP chairmanship nomination forms despite 20-year prison sentence

Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has picked up nomination forms to contest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairmanship while serving a 20-year prison sentence.

His campaign team confirmed that the forms had been collected on his behalf, signalling that Mr Boasiako intends to remain in the leadership contest despite his incarceration and ongoing legal challenge.

“Yes indeed, the campaign team has picked up forms on behalf of Chairman Wontumi. We are continuing his bid in the National Chairmanship race,” Ewuradwoa Coleman, communications director of his campaign team, told Joy News.

Mr Boasiako is currently serving the sentence after an Accra High Court convicted him over offences linked to illegal mining activities at the Samreboi concession in the Western Region.

The court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, found him guilty of offences including assigning mineral rights without the required ministerial approval and facilitating unlicensed mining operations.

The sentences imposed on the separate counts are running concurrently, giving him an effective 20-year custodial term.

The court also imposed a fine of GH¢120,000, with a three-year default prison term if the fine is not paid. The default sentence is also to run concurrently with the 20-year term.

Mr Boasiako has challenged both his conviction and sentence. His lawyers have filed an application for bail pending the hearing and determination of his appeal.

His decision to pursue the NPP chairmanship from prison creates an unusual situation for the party as it prepares for its national executive elections.

Mr Boasiako is currently the NPP's Ashanti Regional Chairman and is seeking to move from regional leadership to the party's national chairmanship.

For now, his campaign team says his incarceration has not ended his bid. The outcome of his legal challenge, as well as the party's rules and electoral processes, will be important to his ability to pursue the contest.