Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, an aide to jailed former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has alleged that five inmates attempted to poison his boss while he was in custody at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.
Speaking on Joy News’ Pulse programme on Tuesday, October 27, Dr Boakye-Danquah said the alleged incident occurred about one or two weeks ago and was being investigated internally by prison authorities.
He said he was troubled by the revelation, which Wontumi reportedly shared with him during a one-on-one conversation on Tuesday.
“I was very troubled when he mentioned to me that about a week or two ago, five people attempted to poison him and that the prison officers have figured it out and they are looking into it,” he said.
Dr Boakye-Danquah added that Wontumi did not disclose the alleged incident during a visit he made to the prison on Saturday, when he was accompanied by the former regional chairman’s lawyer.
According to him, the matter only came to light when they had an opportunity to speak privately.
He expressed hope that the prison authorities would thoroughly investigate the allegation and address any concerns regarding Wontumi’s safety.
Wontumi Enduring Prison Conditions
The NPP aide also described the conditions under which Wontumi was being held, saying the former regional chairman was experiencing the same challenges as other inmates.
He said Wontumi shared accommodation with other prisoners and followed the facility’s daily routine, including early morning wake-up times, communal bathing and meals provided by the prison authorities.
“It’s really difficult. He sleeps with everybody, as everyone is sleeping, sharing a room with a large number of people, bathing with a large number of people, waking up at 4.30am, sleeping at 4.30pm, bathing, eating and sleeping with them,” he said.
Dr Boakye-Danquah further claimed that Wontumi had been eating prison food and drinking water provided at the facility rather than relying on meals brought from outside.
He explained that maintaining a daily arrangement to send food to the former regional chairman over an extended period would be difficult, adding that Wontumi had been living under the same conditions as other inmates.
“He eats the prison food. He drinks the prison water. He bathes the prison bathroom. He walks around the prison place. He does the work that the prisoners do,” he said.
The aide maintained that Wontumi’s circumstances in custody were not significantly different from those of other prisoners.
The alleged poisoning attempt, however, has raised concerns about his safety in detention, although the claim has not been independently verified.
As of Tuesday, October 27, no official statement from the Ghana Prisons Service on the alleged incident was cited in the account. The outcome of the reported internal investigation was also not immediately known.
By Gifty Boateng