Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is reportedly struggling with the pain of being unable to attend the one-week celebration of his late sister, Regina Wiafe Antwi.
According to aspiring New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman Paul Afoko, Wontumi expressed his sadness during a visit to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison on September 29, 2026.
Afoko said the former NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman was particularly affected by his absence because Regina played an important role in caring for him following the death of their mother.
Speaking on Lawson TV on September 30, Afoko said Wontumi told him how difficult it was to remain in prison while his family gathered to mourn his late sister.
“Yesterday, I interacted with him, and you know his senior sister is dead, and today marks the one-week celebration. So, while he is in Nsawam, he is pained because he could not witness the one-week celebration,” Afoko said.
He added that Wontumi was hoping to be granted permission to attend the main funeral and personally bid farewell to his sister.
“But I pray he would be granted access to bid farewell to her at the main funeral,” Afoko added.
Wontumi has been in custody at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison since July following his conviction in a case involving Akonta Mining Company Limited.
An Accra High Court sentenced him to 20 years in prison after finding him guilty of offences connected to mining activities on the company’s concession at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The two sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
Wontumi has since challenged the conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal. His lawyers filed the appeal on July 28, 2026, seeking to overturn the High Court’s decision.
For now, his continued custody means he remains unable to participate freely in family events, including the funeral rites for his late sister, whose one-week celebration took place while he was still at Nsawam Prison.
