Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Vice Chairman Kwabena Nsekyire has appealed to President John Mahama to grant a presidential pardon to Chairman Wontumi following his 20-year prison sentence.

Reacting to the judgment, Mr Nsekyire said the news had saddened party members but stressed that their immediate focus was on ensuring justice.

"The news has dampened our spirits. But that is not our focus now. We are rather looking at justice prevailing," he said.

He noted that the party would first await a briefing from Chairman Wontumi's legal team before deciding on its next steps.

"After we hear from his lawyers, we'd know what to do, as a party," he explained.

Mr Nsekyire, however, called on President Mahama to consider granting Chairman Wontumi a presidential pardon.

He argued that the president had recently granted pardons to some inmates and urged him to extend the same consideration to the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman.

"It'd be good for President Mahama to pardon him. It will increase his glory, too," he said.

Mr Nsekyire added that such a decision would reinforce President Mahama's reputation as a "father for all" and, in his view, demonstrate the Christian values associated with his Assemblies of God faith.

Chairman Wontumi, whose real name is Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, was sentenced by the Accra High Court to 20 years' imprisonment over illegal mining activities on the Samreboi concession in the Western Region. The court also imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units (GHS120,000), with a default sentence of three years' imprisonment if the fine is not paid.