Two prosecution witnesses in the case involving former Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, have been placed under police protection following death threats.
Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, disclosed this on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, August 17, 2026.
He said the threats had intensified following Wontumi’s conviction, with the two lead witnesses and police investigators among those being targeted.
“Our witnesses are every day threatened with death. The two star witnesses and even the police investigators… they threaten everybody. But I think it comes with the job,” he said.
Asked directly about the safety of the two witnesses, Dr Srem-Sai confirmed that they had been provided with police protection.
“Yeah, we’ve given them police protection,” he said.
The Deputy Attorney General further disclosed that he and members of his legal team had also received threats, adding that threats against him had increased since Wontumi’s conviction.
“It’s actually gone up. Our witnesses are every day threatened with death,” he said.
Asked how seriously he takes the threats, Dr Srem-Sai said he treats every threat as a serious matter.
He said the threats had come in different forms, including threats to kill him, but noted that he did not consider it necessary to publicise every threat.
“But I don’t think it’s important for us to because if you follow that, then it means people will use such threats to secure freedom to continue to do that which the law prevents,” he said.
Dr Srem-Sai stressed that threats are not limited to the Wontumi case, saying prosecutors, judges and other lawyers handling serious criminal cases also face similar threats.
“My attorneys receive such threats every day, and not only in this case, but also in other cases, murder cases, armed robbery cases. Judges receive their share of the threats. It comes with the territory,” he said.
On his personal safety, the Deputy Attorney General said he relies on both physical security measures and his faith.
He explained that state protection has limitations because security arrangements differ depending on an individual’s level of responsibility and the nature of the threats.
“The point I’m making is that there is a limit to how much physical protection you can get, and even that is never enough because human beings can do so many things,” he said.
Dr Srem-Sai said his ultimate source of reassurance remained his faith.
“So I would, for my own peace of mind and everything, discount the physical one, even though yes, it’s good, and just so I can sleep, I commit myself to the hands of the Lord,” he said.
The disclosure comes amid heightened tensions following Wontumi’s conviction and renewed attention on the prosecution’s handling of the case.