A viral video of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, purportedly arrested with ballot boxes is being mischaracterized and misrepresented.
Antwi Boasiako, popularly called Chairman Wontumi is seen in the said video, allegedly being arrested by the police at the Madison Lodge hotel, in the Ashanti Region.
The video which is widely being circulated on social media platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp has also be mainstreamed by online news portals (here).
Police pick up Wontumi
An unidentified man who is heard running commentary on the incident alleged Wontumi and some people were being arrested for hoarding ballot boxes in the hotel.
A handful of police officers seen in the viral video were joined in their vehicle by Chairman Wontumi.
Fact-Check
Ghana Fact checks show the said incident occurred prior to 2016 general elections.
The incident was reported by a number of credible online news portals here and here.
The Police have since corroborated this with a statement which states that the said video “is a video of two incidents of 4th May 2016 and 5th December 2016, which have been put together by unscrupulous persons as if it is one video and also of recent occurrence.”
The statement further stated the said video had no relation to the December 7, 2020 general
elections or security operations.
A statement from the office of the regional NPP Chairman also said Wontumi had not been arrested nor
had he engaged in any printing of ballot papers as speculated.
VERDICT
The claim is rated misleading.
By: Eugenia Tenkorang
