'What's the sense of Wontumi serving 20 years in Nsawam prison?'

'What's the sense of Wontumi serving 20 years in Nsawam prison?' - Prophet Oduro

Founder and Leader of Alabaster International Ministries, Prophet Kofi Oduro

The Founder and Leader of Alabaster International Ministries, Prophet Kofi Oduro, has expressed disappointment over the imprisonment of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

According to the man of God, Wontumi’s 20-year prison sentence is not in the best interest of the country, arguing that the government will continue to spend taxpayers’ money on his feeding and welfare while he serves his sentence.

He believes Wontumi should instead have been given the option of repaying damages to the state.

Speaking in a sermon shared on social media with his congregation, Prophet Kofi Oduro said Wontumi should have been given an alternative to serving a lengthy prison sentence.

“What is the use of Wontumi being in prison for 20 years? We should have given that guy options, 20 years or 10 billion dollars payback. What is the sense of Wontumi being in Nsawam Prison? He would definitely choose the latter.

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“Now that he is in Nsawam for 20 years, what is the sense of it? He has offended the law, yes, but he should be given an option to pay back to reclaim the land. The judiciary should give the guy an option. Let him sell everything he has made to pay back, but for him to sit there while we waste money on him is nonsense,” he said.

The High Court in Accra on Monday, July 20, 2026, sentenced Wontumi to 20 years in prison for assigning mineral rights granted to his company, Akonta Mining Limited, to two persons, Michael Gyedu Ayisi and Henry Okum, without obtaining approval from the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.

In a verdict that has effectively ended his campaign to rise from regional chairman to the position of National Chairman of the NPP, Wontumi was also handed another 20-year prison sentence for purposely facilitating an unlicensed mining operation on the Samreboi concession.

The charge was brought under Section 99(2)(b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).

Wontumi should be given options other than using taxpayers' money to feed him in prison- Kofu Oduro pic.twitter.com/SzgNjWYoVj
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