Please have mercy and forgive Wontumi - Dr Palgrave begs President Mahama

Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, spokesperson for the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to forgive the NPP chairman following his sentencing to 20 years in prison.

According to Dr Boakye-Danquah, some of the comments made by Chairman Wontumi during the campaign leading up to the 2024 general election may have hurt President Mahama and his family. He therefore took the opportunity to apologize on Wontumi's behalf.

Speaking in an interview on Joy Prime on July 25, 2026, Dr Boakye-Danquah urged the President to temper justice with mercy and forgive Chairman Wontumi.

"I am aware that there were some issues that happened during the campaign leading to the 2024 election.

"As a man of virtue, I want to apologize to Mr President if, at some stage, certain statements were made about his life, his wife and his children. I apologize entirely and I ask the President to have mercy. When judgment comes, we plead for mercy.

"Of course, the party can appeal but I want to use your platform to appeal to Mr President for his mercy and forgiveness, especially over the comments that were made by Chairman Wontumi leading up to the 2024 election, “he said.

Chairman Wontumi has been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment after the Criminal Court 4 Division of the High Court found him guilty on all six charges brought against him.

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In a judgment delivered on Monday, July 20, 2026, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ordered that the prison terms run concurrently. The court also fined Wontumi 10,000 penalty units on each of the six counts.

Akonta Mining Limited, which was also convicted on two counts, was fined 15,000 penalty units on each count.

The convictions were secured under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2020 (Act 995), which prescribes stiffer penalties for illegal mining-related offences.

Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining Limited, and a third accused person, Kwame Antwi, were prosecuted over alleged illegal mining activities on the company's concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.

According to the prosecution, the accused unlawfully assigned mineral rights on the concession without the approval of the sector minister and facilitated mining activities without the required authorisation, contrary to the provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act.

I want to make an appeal and apologise to President Mahama if, at any stage, Wontumi went too far in making statements about his wife and children leading up to the 2024 elections. I ask him to show mercy and forgiveness — Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, Spokesperson to Chairman… pic.twitter.com/yQOFopGXKz

— Joy Prime (@JoyPrimeTV) July 25, 2026

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