Kofi Tonto, Spokesperson for former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has criticised the conviction of the party's Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard "Wontumi" Antwi-Boasiako, using a robbery scenario to argue that the ruling freed the culprit and punished the victim.

Speaking on TV3, Mr Tonto questioned why those who allegedly carried out illegal mining activities were not punished while Wontumi was convicted.

"It is a useless argument," he said. "The person who pointed the gun at me, who nearly killed me or killed somebody, should go scot free."

He said that although illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has been widely condemned, it is the actual perpetrators who should be held accountable.

"We have all said galamsey is treasonous. [But] the person who committed the treason should go scot free, and then we should go look for a so-called kingpin?" he asked.