Spokesperson for former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, says the team is yet to receive official confirmation on whether he is among the 863 convicted persons granted a presidential pardon.

President John Dramani Mahama on Monday announced that he had exercised the prerogative of mercy to pardon 863 convicted persons across the country.

The decision, made in accordance with Article 72(1) of the 1992 Constitution and following consultation with the Council of State, has generated interest in the status of several high-profile individuals who could potentially be beneficiaries.

However, Dr Palgrave Boakye Danquah said Wontumi’s team had not received any formal communication confirming that he is among those covered by the President’s decision.

He said the team would wait for official communication from the relevant authorities before drawing any conclusions about Wontumi’s status.

“We don’t have the fine details yet and so if we are yet to be communicated to, we will let the public know. Our prayer and consideration will be that if we would have our name anywhere at all, it would be within the Special Recommendation or Petition category.”

According to the presidential statement, the 863 beneficiaries fall under several categories, including first offenders, persons aged 70 years and above, seriously ill persons, those whose death sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment, and persons whose life sentences have been commuted to 20 years.

The categories also include special recommendations and petitions.

Dr Boakye Danquah said the immediate priority for Wontumi’s legal team is to secure bail for him on October 15, pending the determination of his appeal.

He expressed hope that the appeal would succeed and that the court would grant the application for bail pending the outcome of the legal process.

“We are just praying that the appeal goes through and also we are praying that the bail pending the appeal goes through.”