Former Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is safe in our custody amid allegations of poisoning, the Ghana Prisons Service has assured.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, October 28, Service’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Abdul Latif Adamu, stated that it had begun an investigation into the matter and will make its findings public in due time.

“The issue came to our attention through his aide, who visited him. In the course of their conversation, the matter came up, and the aide quickly brought it to the attention of the Prisons Service administration. When we received the information, we immediately launched an investigation.

“Very soon, we will release the investigation report to the public so that everyone knows what happened. However, we can assure you that he is doing fine and is in good condition.

“We can assure you that he is doing fine. He is good. We have put in place the necessary mechanisms to investigate and find out the truth in the matter, and also bring all those who are found culpable to book,” he said.

Meanwhile, five inmates at Nsawam Prison have been transferred following an alleged plot to poison on Chairman Wontumi.

Speaking to the media, Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah noted that he learnt about the incident directly from Mr Wontumi during their conversation at the court proceedings on Tuesday, October 27.

He noted that Wontumi said the alleged plot was uncovered after an individual reportedly overheard the inmates discussing plans to poison him.

“I contacted the officer in charge, and he confirmed it and assured me that investigations were ongoing. The officer said a committee has been set up to probe the incident,” Dr Boakye-Danquah said.

According to him, Chairman Wontumi is not frightened about the situation, adding that, “But we know the good God we serve will not let the evil one prevail.” Meanwhile, the identities of the inmates are yet to be made known at the time of the reporting.

Chairman Wontumi has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on each of the two counts after the High Court in Accra found him guilty in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case on Monday, July 20.

The two prison terms will run concurrently.In response, Wontumi’s legal team challenged his conviction and 20-year prison sentence through an appeal at the Accra High Court on August 5, 2026, with the motion officially entered on August 6.

His initial bail application was scheduled for August 19 but could not proceed after he and his lead counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea, failed to appear. The parties were subsequently informed by the court clerk that the presiding judge would be unavailable for the remainder of the week.

Wontumi’s first application for bail was supposed to have been heard on August 19 but could not proceed after Wontumi and his lead lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, failed to appear in court.

The two prison terms will run concurrently. Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay convicted Wontumi on Counts One and Four, while Akonta Mining Limited was convicted on Counts Three and Six.Additionally, he was fined 10,000 penalty units on each count.

Before the verdict, the defence filed a last-minute application seeking to delay the judgment and refer constitutional questions to the Supreme Court.In April, his bid to halt the ongoing criminal proceedings in the alleged Samreboi illegal mining case was dismissed by the Court of Appeal.

Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay delivered the ruling on Tuesday, April 21.Last year, the court adjourned two related cases involving Wontumi. In the first case, which concerns allegations that he permitted mining activities on his concession at Samreboi without the required approval, proceedings were adjourned to November 12.

The second case, in which he is accused of conducting mining operations in the Tano Nimire Forest Reserve without authorisation, was also adjourned to December 4 because the presiding judge was on leave.

The adjournment followed a request by the prosecution to serve the defence with the required disclosures.Wontumi has been accused of facilitating illegal mining by allowing individuals to operate on the Samreboi concession without the required licence.

His lawyer has maintained that there is no evidence to support the illegal mining charges brought against his client.