Wontumi picks forms to contest NPP national chairmanship race from prison

Convicted former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has picked nomination forms to contest the party’s National Chairmanship position despite being imprisoned.

The nomination forms were picked up on his behalf by his campaign team.

Ewuradwoa Coleman, Communications Director of Boasiako’s campaign team, said the forms were picked because the team believes Chairman Wontumi should have the opportunity to go through the party’s established processes.

“Yes, indeed, the campaign team has picked up forms on behalf of Chairman Wontumi. We believe that Chairman Wontumi should be able to have the opportunity to go through the party’s established processes.

“If there is a legal or constitutional impediment to his candidacy, we believe that the appropriate party authority or competent body would determine that in accordance with the rules. But politically, we believe that his incarceration should not automatically be equated with the end of his political ambitions,” joyonline.com quoted her to have said in an interview on August 21, 2026.

Boasiako is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after an Accra High Court convicted him of offences linked to illegal mining activities at the Samreboi concession in the Western Region.

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The court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, found him guilty of offences including assigning mineral rights without the required ministerial approval and intentionally facilitating unlicensed mining operations.

The sentences imposed on the separate counts are running concurrently, resulting in an effective 20-year custodial term.

The court also imposed a fine of GH¢120,000, with a three-year default prison term if the fine is not paid. The default sentence is also to run concurrently with the 20-year prison term.

Boasiako has since challenged both his conviction and sentence.

His lawyers have filed an application seeking bail pending the hearing and determination of his appeal.

AM

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