CHRAJ sets record straight on judge who sentenced Chairman Wontumi

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has moved to correct claims circulating on social media that its Deputy Commissioner, Mercy Larbi, was the judge who sentenced New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to 20 years in prison.

In a disclaimer issued on July 22, 2026, CHRAJ described the claims as false and stressed that Larbi had no involvement in the court proceedings involving Wontumi. The Commission said her photograph had been circulated alongside misleading reports identifying her as the judge responsible for the sentence.

CHRAJ stated that Larbi neither presided over the case nor participated in the proceedings that resulted in Wontumi’s conviction. It warned that associating her with the judgment could expose her to unwarranted public criticism and damage her reputation.

The Commission urged members of the public, media organisations, bloggers and content creators to verify information through credible and official sources before publishing or sharing claims, particularly when the information concerns public officials and judicial proceedings.

The actual sentence was delivered by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay of the Accra High Court. On July 20, 2026, she sentenced Wontumi to 20 years’ imprisonment after convicting him on two counts in connection with the Akonta Mining illegal mining case. The two sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

The court also imposed fines on Wontumi, while Akonta Mining Limited, which was also convicted on two counts, received separate financial penalties.

CHRAJ has therefore called on the public to disregard the social media publications linking its Deputy Commissioner to the judgment and refrain from further circulating the misleading material.

The clarification comes amid heightened public attention surrounding Wontumi’s conviction and the legal proceedings that led to his imprisonment. CHRAJ said it remains committed to protecting the integrity and independence of Ghana’s justice system and carrying out its mandate in accordance with the rule of law.

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