Chairman Wontumi jailed 20 years for illegal mining at Samreboi

An Accra High Court has convicted the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi), and his company, Akonta Mining, after finding them guilty of illegal mining offences at his Samreboi concession in the Western Region. Wontumi has been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment with hard labour.

TV3's Laud Adu Asare, who was in court on Monday, 20 July, reported that lawyers of Chairman Wontumi pleaded that the court deal a lenient hand to Wontumi, since he is a first-time offender.

His lawyers told the court that Wontumi is remorseful, although he appeared visibly angry in court.

Bernard Owiredu Donkor, a friend of the court, pleaded that Wontumi is an established man whose businesses have given young people employment, and that a collapse of the companies would affect thousands of people.

Despite these pleas, the court sentenced Wontumi to 20 years' imprisonment with hard labour.

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