‘He Was Shaking’: Wontumi’s Prison Visit Sparks Fresh Political Drama

The imprisonment of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, has taken on a new political dimension after one of his closest allies described an emotional encounter during a prison visit, raising fresh questions about his condition in custody.

Paul Kwabena Yandoh, the Ashanti Regional Communications Director of the NPP, said Wontumi appeared physically frail when party officials and family members visited him, claiming the former regional chairman’s body was visibly trembling throughout the meeting.

According to Yandoh, prison authorities restricted lengthy conversations with the inmate, limiting visitors’ ability to interact with him or assess his health in detail. He described the encounter as deeply distressing for those present and said the experience underscored the emotional toll of the high-profile imprisonment.

The account comes less than a week after an Accra High Court sentenced Wontumi to 20 years’ imprisonment over illegal mining-related offences, a judgment that has intensified political tensions between the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition NPP. The NPP has announced plans to challenge both the conviction and the sentence, arguing that the ruling is legally flawed.

While Yandoh’s remarks have amplified calls from party supporters for humane treatment of the convicted politician, prison authorities have not publicly commented on the claims regarding Wontumi’s physical condition.

The latest developments suggest that the legal battle is increasingly evolving into a political and public relations contest, with prison conditions becoming a new focal point in a case that continues to dominate Ghana’s political discourse. As the appeals process gathers pace, the treatment of one of the country’s most prominent opposition figures is likely to remain under close public scrutiny.