Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has sharply condemned the arrest and detention of Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, describing the incident as “totally, totally wrong” and a threat to the foundations of Ghana’s democracy.

Chairman Wontumi was arrested on May 27, 2025, following an invitation by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for questioning related to allegations of illegal mining activities.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse Show on Wednesday, June 4, Jinapor expressed concern over what he sees as an emerging trend of using legal processes as political tools to settle scores, rather than uphold justice.

“We must ensure that the rule of law prevails. Right is right, wrong is wrong,” Jinapor said. “If the law works and people’s rights are protected, it works for all of us. Today you are in government, tomorrow you are not. But if the law truly works, it protects each and every one of us.”

Jinapor warned against the dangers of selective justice and political silence, drawing a chilling historical reference to the authoritarian regime of Adolf Hitler.

“During the time of Adolf Hitler in Germany during the Second World War, they arrested this person and that person, and nobody spoke out. Those who didn’t speak out became victims of the regime,” he noted.

According to the former minister, the sequence of events surrounding Chairman Wontumi’s arrest appeared to be part of a deliberate attempt to punish him under the guise of legality.

“When you look at it all, the whole play was obviously the situation of let’s teach him a lesson. But it is totally, totally wrong because somebody was taught a lesson yesterday, another person was taught a lesson a week ago, or in another administration,” Jinapor stressed.

He further criticised how bail is sometimes used or denied as a punitive measure rather than based on the core principles of justice.

“The grant or denial of bail is anchored on one fundamental principle — whether the person, when needed, will appear before an investigator or a court. It’s not supposed to be about punishment, intimidation or politics,” he said.

Jinapor questioned the motive behind the arrest, suggesting it was part of a broader political strategy to punish opponents under the guise of law enforcement.

“Chairman Wontumi — there’s supposed to be an attempt to teach him a lesson, and then tomorrow you continue the merry-go-round,” Jinapor said. “That is not how a democracy should function,” he said.

After spending nearly a week in EOCO custody, Chairman Wontumi was granted bail on June 2, 2025. The bail was set at GH₵50 million with two sureties, one of whom was Dr. Bryan Acheampong, the Member of Parliament for Abetifi and Minister for Food and Agriculture. The NPP's General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, confirmed the bail conditions and expressed gratitude to Dr. Acheampong for his support.