 was found guilty on all six counts brought against him over illegal mining in the Samreboi Forest. Wontumi's spokesperson, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, spoke about the apology in an interview with Citi News. He said it was a goodwill gesture, and that Wontumi is hoping President Mahama will grant him clemency. "The first call is to render an apology, and I think that is important," Boakye-Danquah said. "Former Chairman renders an apology to him if, at some stage, the conversations went overboard, which was never intended."){kind=link}
Chairman Wontumi has said sorry to President John Dramani Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama for anything he said against them during the 2024 election campaign.
The apology comes from Wontumi, real name Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, who is now serving a 20-year jail term. The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was found guilty on all six counts brought against him over illegal mining in the Samreboi Forest.
Wontumi’s spokesperson, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, spoke about the apology in an interview with Citi News. He said it was a goodwill gesture, and that Wontumi is hoping President Mahama will grant him clemency.
“The first call is to render an apology, and I think that is important,” Boakye-Danquah said. “Former Chairman renders an apology to him if, at some stage, the conversations went overboard, which was never intended.”
But Boakye-Danquah was quick to add that the apology does not mean Wontumi believes politics played a part in his 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 said.
He explained that the apology is about reconciliation, not about suggesting that political differences affected the court’s decision.
Background to the case
The High Court’s Criminal Court 4 Division sentenced Wontumi to 20 years in prison after convicting him on all six charges against him.
He was tried alongside his company, Akonta Mining Limited, and a third person, Kwame Antwi, over illegal mining on the company’s concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.
Prosecutors said the accused persons gave out mineral rights on the concession without approval from the sector minister, and allowed mining to take place without the proper permits — actions that broke the Minerals and Mining Act.