The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), together with the Flagbearer and the Party’s legal team, has urged all members and supporters of the party to remain calm and united following the 20-year jail term handed to the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasaikao (Chairman Wontumi).
The party says it is currently in a meeting to thoroughly review the judgement to determine the appropriate next course of action.
“The Party will communicate its official position and the decisions arising from these deliberations in due course.
“In the meantime, I respectfully urge all members of our great Party to rally behind the leadership during this challenging moment. Let us remain calm, united, disciplined, and steadfast in our commitment to the values and interests of the New Patriotic Party,” a statement issued and signed by General Secretary Justiv Kodua Frimpong said.
On Monday, July 20, an Accra High Court convicted Chairman Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining, after finding them guilty of illegal mining offences at his Samreboi concession in the Western Region.
The lead counsel for the Ashanti Regional Chairman petitioned the court to adjourn the judgement against his client, which was slated for Monday, 20 July, citing that he was out of the jurisdiction and would return on 22 July.
In her ruling, however, the presiding judge, Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, noted that both parties had been consulted in determining the date for the judgement; hence, Atta Akyea should have communicated then if he knew he would not be available on the set date.
The Court also dismissed the application for deferment and referral to the Supreme Court of some constitutional questions which the defence sought to have determined by the apex court.
Chairman Wontumi has been charged with assigning mineral rights without approval from the Minister responsible for mining, and facilitating unlicensed mining operations at Samreboi in the Western Region.
