Kumasi: Wontumi for court Wednesday for assault

Bernard Antwi Bosiako, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is to be arraigned on Wednesday. Chairman Wontumi is in the grips of the Ashanti Regional Police Command for allegedly assaulting the Member of Parliament for Manhyia North, Collins Amankwah and his Constituency Secretary, Chairman Wontumi turned himself in to the Police on Tuesday after he was declared wanted. Meanwhile, scores of NPP supporters besieged the Police command to demand his immediate release. According to Sam Pyne, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NPP, said Chairman Wontumi has been charged with assault of a public officer.

 “He is okay, he is comfortable, he feels he is a man and men are supposed to go through such situations and once he is behind bars he will sail through. So far the Police say he has been charged with assault of a public officer and that they are going to take him to court tomorrow ,” he added.

Although Chairman Wontumi’s arrest has to do with his altercation with NPP members, the NPP Regional Secretary said the arrest is a ploy by political opponents. He argued that “people assaulted officers at Asokore Mampong, they were let off the hock, they destroyed public property and Electoral Commission equipment, yet nothing has been said about it. And when there is an internal party matter, even though the person reported it, we are making it look like a genocide or some treasonable offence.”

“…All these things are political and that the powers that are or the mighty hands are pulling their strength. I see it as political,” he added. On the ongoing limited voter registration exercise, Sam Pyne said the party is not perturbed by the current troubles because “our men are prepared for the exercise.”