A member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) communications team, Miracles Dennis Aboagye, has sparked debate after suggesting that Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, played a role in the circumstances that led to his current legal situation.
In a video shared on X and sighted by GhanaWeb on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, Mr Aboagye, while speaking on UTV, claimed that Chairman Wontumi’s past public statements during the NPP’s time in government contributed significantly to the outcome of the case against him.
He argued that the case was not solely about illegal mining activities but was also influenced by comments made by the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman over the years.
“We all know that the reason why Chairman Wontumi is in jail isn’t because of galamsey but because of his own mouth,” he said.
Mr Aboagye further described Chairman Wontumi as a victim of political circumstances, insisting that his position within the NPP made him a target.
According to him, the number of people involved in illegal mining activities raises questions about why Wontumi alone faced such a severe punishment.
“He’s in jail because of politics. He’s a political prisoner. I doubt he would have been in there if he wasn’t Chairman Wontumi. There are a lot of galamsey operators, so why haven’t they been jailed?” he added.
The comments come after Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years in prison by an Accra High Court after being convicted on charges related to illegal mining involving Akonta Mining Company Limited.
The court found him guilty on multiple counts and imposed the sentence following the conclusion of the trial.
Watch the video below:
Chairman Wontumi’s own mouth caused his imprisonment-Dennis Miracle Aboagye 🤔 pic.twitter.com/tEJdcxiCIh
— Aristotlektv (@aristotledada) July 22, 2026
