Private legal practitioner, Maurice Ampaw, has said he was not surprised by the 20-year prison sentence handed to Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

According to Lawyer Ampaw, events surrounding the trial, including public comments and predictions about the possible outcome, suggested to him that the case had political undertones.

Speaking to GhanaWeb after the sentencing on July 20, 2026, he said during the trail he observed several discussions on social media, where some political supporters predicted that Wontumi would be convicted and imprisoned.

"I'm not shocked about the outcome of Wontumi's case, because it was clear that it is one of the most predetermined criminal proceedings that I've ever witnessed as a lawyer. Because it started with the Attorney General, press conferences, implicating and condemning Wontumi, and holding him guilty. It went ahead with the trial.

"You could see that during the trial, there were predictions, there were NDC party faithful who were on social media and were doing what we call my bets, that if Wontumi is not jailed, they will refuse to become members of NDC,” he said.

Ampaw referred to comments attributed to some NDC commentators, who he said claimed to have reliable information that Chairman Wontumi would be jailed.

“And then the moment the case ended, there were statements from NDC supporters that Wontumi will be jailed... The evidence shows you that this is a political motive", he alleged.

Ampaw also expressed confidence that Chairman Wontumi would succeed if his legal team files an appeal against both the conviction and the sentence.

According to him, the appeal would challenge the weight of the evidence relied upon by the trial court and could result in a fresh hearing before the Court of Appeal.

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“It will come at a new hearing because the appeal will be against the weight of evidence. So, there will be a fresh hearing at the Court of Appeal, and also against the sentence. So, I'm so much confident that Wontumi will be vindicated on appeal,” he said.

Wontumi has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour by an Accra High Court after being found guilty of illegally permitting unlicensed mining operations on his company’s concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.

His co-accused and fellow director, Kwame Antwi, remains at large and was tried in absentia.

Meanwhile, the NPP has announced that it will appeal the decision of the High Court.

JKB/VPO

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