The jailed Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, has apologised to President John Dramani Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama for the hurtful remarks he made to them during his 2024 general election campaign.
Wontumi was convicted of illegal mining in the Samreboi Forest and is presently serving a 20-year prison sentence. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, his spokesperson, told Accra-based Citi FM that the apology was made out of kindness and asked the President to think about pardoning him.
The first call is to render an apology, and I think that is important. Former Chairman renders an apology to him if, at some stage, the conversations went overboard, which was never intended, according to Boakye-Danquah.
He took care to emphasise that the apology does not imply that political differences with President Mahama had any impact on the legal proceedings that resulted in the conviction.
“Not at all. We are aware that in this country there are influences. If you are able to identify those influences and begin making amends, I think we build a better society for all of us to live in,” he stated.
Boakye-Danquah says that the call for forgiveness is just meant to promote reconciliation and should not be interpreted as implying that politics influenced Wontumi’s prosecution or the severity of his sentencing.
Wontumi was fined 10,000 penalty units for each of the pertinent crimes and sentenced to 20 years in prison with hard labour (to run consecutively), while the corporation was fined 15,000 penalty units for each count.
The offences are covered by the modified Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
The court’s decision to not impose the maximum sentence was motivated by Wontumi’s treatment as a first-time offender and the necessity for deterrent against environmental damage associated with illicit mining (galamsey).
Wontumi’s conviction has sparked significant reactions. The government and anti-galamsey supporters have presented it as accountability in the fight against illicit mining, while the NPP has described it as a miscarriage of justice and mobilised support.
Source: newsthemegh.com