The High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie Tay, an Appeals Court judge with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge, has sentenced Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years in prison with hard labour. This follows the conviction of Chairman Wontumi for assignment of mining rights without authorization and facilitating mining operations.
Wontumi was found guilty on all 6 counts accusations brought against him by the state.
Earlier the same court of an application of deferment of judgment by his Lawyer Samuel Atta Kyea pending a Supreme Court decision on another application.
Lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea, had appealed to the trial High Court for a change of plan regarding the judgment date.
Chairman Wontumi and his company Akonta Mining have been charged with six counts including assignment of mineral rights without prior written authorization.
Chairman Wontumi aside the 20 years prison sentence has also been fined 10,000 penalty units with 3 years extra prison term if he fails to pay; both to run concurrently.
Akonta Mining sentence was mitigated to pay penalty units. Per the crimes for which Wontumi convicted, the minimum sentence was 15 and maximum of 25; the judge opted for the middle ground.
Lawyers for Chairman Wontumi are however expected to appeal the conviction.
