Minority Caucus Decries Wontumi Conviction, Flags Miscarriage of Justice

The Parliamentary Minority Caucus has denounced the High Court ruling that sentenced Bernard Antwi‑Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to twenty years’ imprisonment, describing the judgment as a breach of constitutional safeguards and a miscarriage of justice.

Delivering its statement in Accra, the Caucus expressed solidarity with Wontumi’s family and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), urging members to channel grief and anger into lawful and constitutional action. “The best tribute we can pay to Chairman Wontumi and his family right now is resolve, channelled through every lawful and constitutional means available to us,” the release stated.

The Minority raised alarm over two central issues: the denial of Wontumi’s right to counsel of choice and the trial court’s refusal to refer live constitutional questions to the Supreme Court. It argued that these defects robbed the judgment of legitimacy, citing Article 19 of the Constitution which guarantees fair trial rights.

Drawing parallels with the 2016 acquittal of Tsatsu Tsikata, the Caucus noted that the Court of Appeal had condemned his earlier conviction as a miscarriage of justice because the trial court bypassed constitutional procedure. “If that was a miscarriage of justice in 2016, the same standard cannot simply evaporate in 2026 because the accused now wears a different party’s colours,” the statement declared.

The Caucus also criticised the decision to pierce the corporate veil of Akonta Mining Limited, holding Wontumi personally liable for alleged corporate acts. It warned that such precedent could destabilise corporate governance and undermine constitutional order.

While reaffirming its respect for judicial independence under Articles 125 and 127 of the Constitution, the Minority insisted that accountability requires scrutiny of judicial reasoning. It urged Wontumi’s legal team to place the matter before the Court of Appeal, stressing that due process is “the whole point of having a Constitution at all.”

The Caucus concluded by pledging to pursue justice through Parliament and public advocacy, vowing to press until the defects it identified are corrected.