Blakk Rasta, a Ghanaian reggae artiste and media personality, has narrated the Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, first day at the Nsawam Prison.
According to Blakk Rasta, Chairman Wontumi broke down emotionally on his first day at Nsawam Prison after being sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.
Blakk Rasta alleged that Wontumi arrived at the Nsawam Prison only carrying a “Ghana Must Go” bag and was taken to the prison’s Diagnostic Centre (VIP centre).
He claimed that Wontumi fell to his knees, wept, and prayed for strength after being shown his sleeping space.
Blakk Rasta further alleged that Wontumi spent his first night crying, praying, coughing, and unable to sleep.
The Ghanaian reggae artiste and media personality further alleged that Wontumi, the following morning, complained of severe illness, saying he was diabetic and feared he would die if he remained in the regular cell, leading to his transfer to the prison infirmary.
Speaking on his show, The Black Pot, Blakk Rasta made these claims following Wontumi’s 20-year sentencing.
Blakk Rasta stated, “Chairman Wontumi, after reality slapped his cringing brows, was whisked into a waiting vehicle meant for prisoners to go and begin his sentencing. He was in a gold outfit when he was pushed into the prison car.
“He was driven all the way to Nsawam, and when he landed over there, he looked around, pinched himself several times and told himself, ‘ What, he could not believe this ‘”.
He further alleged, “When he walked in there, they moved him straight to his cell; he was not supposed to go there with any big bag. He went in there with a Ghana must go, and when he went in there.
He arrived around 5: 45 pm; other prisoners were already in the yard they started mentioning his name. When he got in there, they took him straight to the VIP section; the name is the diagnostic centre. There is a fan in there and also a TV connected to DStv that he could watch Chelsea that he wanted to buy”.
“His bed was a student-size bed; the mattress was thin as if two mosquitoes were going to sleep on that. When he was pointed to the bang bed, that was when he went on his knees and started to pray; tears were in his eyes, and water started to come down. Wontumi was visibly shattered beyond comparison”, he added.
In other news, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, the Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, has justified why only the Chairman Wontumi, the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, was prosecuted in the Samreboi illegal mining case.
According to Srem-Sai, the other accused took advantage of the plea bargain law and forfeited their assets.
Speaking in an interview with TV3, Justice Srem-Sai stated, “Henry Okum and Michael Gyedu Ayisi took advantage of the plea bargain law and forfeited their assets”.
Meanwhile, Samson Lardy Anyenini, a Private legal practitioner, has said Lawyer Andy Appiah-Kubi, who represented Chairman Wontumi, did a disservice to his client.
The private legal practitioner highlighted that Appiah-Kubi’s strategy backfired and strengthened the Republic’s case.
Samson Lardy argued that the legal proceedings in Chairman Wontumi’s case showed that the NPP stalwart’s lawyer failed to effectively represent him.
According to Samson Lardy, Andy Appiah-Kubi did a poor job during the cross-examination, which ultimately contributed to Wontumi’s 20-year conviction.
Speaking during a discussion on JoyNews in a video shared on social media, “Wontumi’s lawyer, Appiah Kubi, in the cross-examination, actually, the main plank of their strategy was to say that once there is no document evidencing the bringing in of the third party, you cannot say that we have brought in a third party.
“…And that is how they intended to get him to escape. Unfortunately, that appears to have fallen apart and instead massively supported the Republic’s case,” he said.
While explaining his position, Samson Lardy further stated that the trial judge, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, indicated in her judgment that Wontumi’s lawyer had done him a “disservice.”
“In fact, in the judgment, you will hear the judge say on a number of occasions, without stating it explicitly, that Wontumi’s lawyer also did him a disservice. Appiah Kubi did him a disservice.
“There were some cross-examinations that needed to be done on particular issues, but those matters were left without being properly addressed, or not addressed at all. Nobody challenged them after evidence had been led in a certain way. Appiah Kubi left those issues unattended to, and the court said, well, that is your problem. A significant part of this is discussed on pages 28 and 29 of the judgment,” he added.
Watch the video below:
@ghnow_ The Deputy Attorney General has arrived at the High Court for the trial of Chairman Wontumi in the Tano Forest reserve #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ 🔥 Dancegod has arrived at the H4DS Youth Empowerment Program #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – AfroBase+ 🇺🇸 🇬🇭
