The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Mr. Bernard Antwi Bosiako known in the political circles as Chairman Wontumi has been arrested by the police for secretly printing ballot papers ahead of the December 7 elections.
According to multiple reports by a section of the media and some social media posts cited by GhanaWeb, Chairman Wontumi who was in the company of the former Member of Parliament for Bantama Constituency, Mr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu were arrested with ballot papers in a hideout.
Verdict: FALSE
Explanation:
With just a day left for Ghanaians to go to the polls, it was widely speculated in the media space and most especially on social media that Chairman Wontumi and Kokofu have been arrested by the police.
According to the report, the two big wigs in the New Patriotic Party were picked up by the police in the early hours of Saturday, December, 5 at a secret hideout, printing ballot boxes.
One of the social media posts cited by GhanaWeb which also sort to report this news said" Chairman Wontumi and Kokofu arrested with ballot papers in a hideout. See how evil Npp is... Thanks to the Vigilance of our party folks."They are going down!
Verification
In an attempt to find closure to this, GhanaWeb Factcheck Desk resorted to a report released by Fact Check Ghana on the purported arrest of Chairman Wontumi and Mr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu.
According to Fact Check Ghana, the video that has surfaced on various social media platforms purporting to the arrest of the aforementioned and commentaries that people are thumb printing ballot papers ahead of Monday's elections is from 2016 and is nowhere related to the 2020 elections.
"This video has resurfaced on WhatsApp platforms with some commentaries that people are thumb printing ballot papers ahead of Monday's elections. The video is from 2016 and not related to the 2020 elections."
Fact Check Ghana added that" The then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Wontumi) had reported to the police that he had information that thousands of thumb printed presidential ballot papers had been hidden at the said hotel. "
The complaint from Chairman Wontumi in 2016 led to the arrest of the said perpetrators by the Police.
"Following that, the police mobilized and stormed the hotel around 7 am on Monday, December 5, 2016, according to Graphic Online. "
Conclusion:
From this, Ghana Factcheck Desk can establish that the purported arrest of MR. Bernard Antwi Bosiako and Mr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu for secretly printing ballot papers are false and should be treated with the contempt it deserves.
Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako