The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has convened an emergency meeting to review the judgement delivered by the Accra High Court against the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, in the Samreboi illegal mining case.
According to a statement issued on Monday, July 20, by the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the meeting is being attended by the party’s leadership, its 2028 presidential flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the party’s legal team to assess the court’s decision and determine the appropriate course of action.
“The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), together with our Flagbearer and the Party’s legal team, is currently in a meeting to thoroughly review the judgement delivered by the Court… and to determine the appropriate next course of action,” the statement said.
The party said it would communicate its official position and the decisions reached after the deliberations in due course.
Justin Kodua also appealed to members of the NPP to remain calm and united in the wake of the court’s decision.
“In the meantime, I respectfully urge all members of our great Party to rally behind the leadership during this challenging moment. Let us remain calm, united, disciplined, and steadfast in our commitment to the values and interests of the New Patriotic Party,” he stated.
The emergency meeting comes hours after the Accra High Court convicted Chairman Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining, on illegal mining-related charges connected to operations at the company’s Samreboi concession in the Western Region.
The court found Wontumi guilty of assigning mineral rights without the approval of the minister responsible for mining and facilitating unlicensed mining operations. He was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, while Akonta Mining was fined after the court considered mitigating factors.
Meanwhile, former lead counsel for Chairman Wontumi, Kwame Andy Appiah Kubi, has disclosed that his client has instructed his legal team to file an appeal against the conviction and sentence.