Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, Kenneth Ashigbey, has dismissed as false claims circulating on social media alleging that he influenced the conviction of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 21, Mr Ashigbey denied ever claiming that he knew Chairman Wontumi would be jailed because the trial judge was his sister-in-law.
He described the claims as false and urged the public to disregard them.
“I never made that statement. It is false. I have never said, anywhere, at any time, that I was confident Wontumi will go to jail because the judge is my sister-in-law. That quote is a fabrication,” he stated.
Mr Ashigbey also rejected attempts to link the judgment in the Akonta Mining case to a separate petition he filed together with Martin Kpebu, Edem Senanu and Kwame Asiedu.
According to him, the petition they submitted is still pending before a different court and has not been heard or determined.
“The ruling of the Republic vs Bernard Antwi Boasiako, Kwame Antwi (At Large), Akonta Mining Company Limited case has nothing to do with our petition. The case that we petitioned is still pending before another court. It has not been heard on the merits, and no ruling has been given,” he said.
He described attempts to connect the two cases as a deliberate effort to mislead the public.
Mr Ashigbey further stressed that he had no direct interest in the case in which Chairman Wontumi was convicted and therefore had no conflict of interest.
“I was not a party to the case that was ruled on. I had no direct interest in it. In the circumstances, there could not have been any conflict-of-interest situation as is being alleged,” he said.
He urged the public to allow the judiciary to carry out its constitutional mandate without attempts to undermine public confidence in the justice system.
“The judiciary must be allowed to do its work. Dragging judges’ names and family relationships into propaganda to discredit court decisions undermines confidence in our justice system and must be condemned,” he stated.
Mr Ashigbey also reiterated his long-held position on illegal mining, saying he has consistently advocated since 2017 for individuals who organise, finance and profit from illegal mining activities to receive the maximum punishment permitted under the law.
“For the past eight years, I have maintained the principled view that those who organise, finance and benefit from illegal mining activities should be subject to the maximum sentence prescribed by law. I stand by that position without reservation,” he said.
He urged the public to disregard what he described as inaccurate claims and instead focus on the substantive issues surrounding the fight against illegal mining.
