'Mahama didn't jail Wontumi, the law did' – Bukom Banku defends 20-year sentence

Ghanaian boxer and entertainer Bukom Banku has defended President John Dramani Mahama against claims linking him to the 20-year jail sentence handed to Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

According to Bukom Banku, President Mahama should not be blamed for the legal troubles of Chairman Wontumi because the president is neither a judge nor a lawyer responsible for delivering court judgments.

Speaking in a video shared on social media on July 23, 2026, Bukom Banku argued that anyone who acquires wealth through illegal means or engages in unlawful activities should expect to face the full rigours of the law.

He also accused Chairman Wontumi of engaging in illegal mining activities that allegedly destroyed water bodies and questioned the whereabouts of money linked to him.

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"President Mahama is not a judge or a lawyer. Chairman Wontumi, the river that he spoilt and the money he collected, there's no pay. It's not John Mahama who jailed Wontumi," Bukom Banku stated in his usual distorted English.

He added, "All the talks they're doing are stupid. The illegal mining he's doing to get gold that destroyed water bodies and the Zenith Bank money, where are they?" he questioned.

He maintained that if Chairman Wontumi has indeed been sentenced to 20 years in prison, the decision should be attributed to the judicial process and not the president.

"As they've jailed him for 20 years, Mahama is not the judge who jailed him; he's rather the President of Ghana. Mahama does the right things, and anyone who spends money that's not legal will face the law. The law will deal with you when you go against it," Bukom Banku added.

“President Mahama is neither a lawyer nor a judge. He is not the one who sentenced Chairman Wontumi to 20 years in prison; rather, it was his own illegal mining activities that led to the sentence. Therefore, people should stop blaming President Mahama for Wontumi’s conviction.”… pic.twitter.com/9AwfJT1rwK

— 𝐀𝐒𝐊 (@askghmedia) July 23, 2026

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