I Knew She’d Jail Me 20 Years – Wontumi Tells Ex-Lawyer

A jaw-dropping revelation has emerged following the conviction of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, with his former lawyer claiming the politician knew he was heading to prison even before the judge delivered her verdict.

The private legal practitioner, Andy Appiah-Kubi, disclosed that Wontumi had prior knowledge of the court’s decision and had even told him he expected to be sentenced to 20 years in prison.

This claim by Appiah-Kubi has not and cannot be independently verified by this newspaper.

Speaking on TV3, Appiah-Kubi over the weekend, Appiah-Kubi noted: “Chairman Wontumi had prior information that he would be convicted. He told me the content of the judgment. He told me that he would be jailed for 20 years.”

The former lawyer to the convicted politician said Wontumi was so convinced of the outcome that he instructed him, before the judgment was read, to file an appeal immediately if the court found him guilty.

Despite his client’s expectations, Appiah-Kubi insisted the High Court got it wrong. He argued that the judgment wrongly treated Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining, as one entity, even though company law recognizes them as separate legal persons.

“The evidence on the ground does not support the judgment. Under company law, the company is different from the owner or shareholder,” he argued, adding that the issue would be a major ground for the appeal.

His comments come days after the Accra High Court sentenced Chairman Wontumi to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour after convicting him on illegal mining-related offences.

Court Judgement

In a strongly worded 59-page judgment, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay said the punishment was necessary to send a powerful warning to others engaged in illegal mining and to protect Ghana from the devastating environmental consequences of galamsey.

“The Court takes notice of the gravity of the offences, and the need for deterrence to avert the environmental disaster that might befall the nation,” the judge stated.

She also ruled that the offences undermined Ghana’s mining laws and contributed to widespread environmental destruction through the illegal exploitation of the country’s mineral resources.

Although acknowledging that Wontumi was a first-time offender, the judge maintained that the seriousness of the crimes warranted a custodial sentence. In addition to the 20-year prison term with hard labour, the court imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units, with a default custodial sentence. Akonta Mining was also fined 15,000 penalty units, while the prison terms imposed on Wontumi are to run concurrently.

The case has sparked widespread public debate, with attention now shifting to the Court of Appeal, where Wontumi’s legal team is expected to challenge the High Court’s decision.