Lead counsel for the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, says his legal team will file an appeal against his conviction next week and immediately seek bail pending appeal.

Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, July 25, Samuel Atta Akyea said the defence is finalising the appeal process and remained hopeful the Court of Appeal would grant Wontumi bail while considering the case.

He confirmed that an application for bail pending appeal would accompany the filing.

"That's when we will do that," he said when asked whether the defence would seek bail pending appeal.

Mr Atta Akyea expressed confidence that the appellate court would apply the law and allow his client to remain out of custody while the appeal is heard.

"I'm hoping that the judges should apply the law and then we could get him out and contest the appeal," he stated.

Explaining the basis of the appeal, the former Abuakwa South MP said the conviction and sentence should not stand if the appeal succeeds.

"The appeal is simply saying, look, if the appeal should succeed, that is it," he said.

He also questioned the severity of the sentence imposed on Wontumi, arguing that the High Court ought to have considered the minimum sentence prescribed by law, particularly because his client was a first-time offender.

''I thought they would even consider the minimum, which is 15," Mr Atta Akyea argued.

Background

The Accra High Court has sentenced the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years’ imprisonment for his involvement in illegal mining activities on the Samreboi concession in the Western Region.

Wontumi was convicted in a case involving Akonta Mining Limited, where the prosecution argued that the company allowed illegal mining activities to take place on its concession without the required ministerial approval.