Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini has stated that Chairman Wontumi’s situation is unrelated to political persecution, describing the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as ‘common criminal’ who has been found guilty via lawful processes.
The former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources noted that Wontumi is serving a sentence for going against the laws of the country.
Sharing his thoughts on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, Mr. Fuseini expressed that Wontumi’s conviction by a competent court of jurisdiction raises a significant matter for public discourse.
“I’m facing a challenge because the senior lawyer associated with the case has volunteered to discuss the issue on television. The decision has been made.
He has expressed his intention to appeal; however, until that appeal is officially submitted, the issue remains open for public discourse,” he stated.
According to him, Wontumi’s sentencing had nothing to do with his political affiliation.
To begin with, it’s important to clarify that Wontumi does not qualify as a political prisoner. Everyone needs to let go of that idea. He is not a political prisoner; he is just an ordinary convict,” he alleged.
He stressed that political prisoners are those sentenced due to their political ideologies or ideas, a characterization he contends is inapplicable to Wontumi’s situation.
Fuseini said that Wontumi had undergone trial and received a conviction within the legal system, emphasizing the need for the people to differentiate between a criminal conviction and political victimization.
His remarks follow the NPP’s allegations against the Mahama government on biased justice in light of Wontumi’s conviction.
The General Secretary of the NPP, during a news conference, accused the government of targeting political opponents while protecting members of his own party as a strategy to regain the trust of Ghanaians in the fight against corruption. He characterized the 20-year hail term of Wontumi as politically motivated.
Wontumi was found guilty of many charges connected to illicit mining activities carried out by Akonta Mining Limited in Samreboi in the Western Region, and the Accra High Court sentenced him to 20 years in jail with hard labor on Friday 23rd July.
