‘No One Should Be Excited to See a Brother Fall’ – Fiifi Boafo on Wontumi’s Conviction

Former Head of Public Affairs at COCOBOD, Fiifi Boafo, has urged Ghanaians to show restraint following the conviction and sentencing of Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

According to him, people should not celebrate the misfortune or downfall of others.

Speaking in an interview on TV3 on July 28, 2026, Boafo said everyone has the right to express an opinion about the case, but celebrating Wontumi’s imprisonment is inappropriate.

“No one should be excited to see a brother fall. For that reason, I am not too sure about those who are celebrating that Wontumi has been incarcerated,” he said.

Criminal Court 4 of the High Court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, found Chairman Wontumi guilty on all six charges brought against him under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2020 (Act 995).

The court sentenced him to 20 years in prison, with all the sentences to run concurrently. He was also fined 10,000 penalty units on each of the six counts.

Akonta Mining Limited, which was also convicted on two counts, was fined 15,000 penalty units on each count.

The prosecution alleged that Chairman Wontumi unlawfully assigned mineral rights on Akonta Mining’s concession at Samreboi in the Western Region without the approval of the sector minister.

He was also accused of facilitating mining activities on the concession without the required authorisation.