Maurice Ampaw’s scurrilous attack on Ashanti chiefs; Will Wontumi Media escape punishment after verbal apology?

Wontumi Media has apologised to the chiefs of the Ashanti Region over derogatory remarks made by its regular host on television, Maurice Ampaw, against the chiefs of the Ashanti Region.

It is however not known whether the council will accept the verbal apology and allow them to go free.
The apology comes ahead of a visit by the management of the media station to the Manhyia Palace on Monday, January 29, 2024 following a summons issued by the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC).

Mr Ampaw , a lawyer and self-confessed friend of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party( NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias Chairman Wontumi , went on Wontumi television owned by his friend, and unleashed verbal assault on nananom of the Ashanti Region following a matter in which Chairman Wontumi has been invited by the KTC to answer for some derogatory comments against the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Furious
In a seemingly furious mood, lawyer Ampaw asked, “Those Ashanti chiefs calling for the head of Chairman Wontumi, have you finished solving the problems you have created in the Ashanti Region? “You people are a problem to Otumfuo. You sell stool lands to two or more people. Some of you are thieves who cause problems for Otumfuo. He has spoken about this several times, but you don’t change. Some of you are womanizers who sleep with people’s wives and girlfriends.”

Summons
His attacks on the chiefs, has compelled the KTC to invite him and the management of Wontumi Media to answer for the disparaging remarks.

Also ordered to appear on Monday is the man in the centre of the matter, Chairman Wontumi who is accused of making foul statements against Otumfuo.

Forgiveness
Even before the Wontumi Media management would appear before the KTC, the General Manager of the media group , Kofi Agyei, has pleaded for forgiveness .

He said lawyer Ampaw erred in his remarks. “Management of the media house will go to the Manhyia Palace but ahead of that, we want to use this channel to render an unqualified apology. We are on our knees. We plead that nananom forgive us,” Mr Agyei said on the tv show last Monday .

He added: “ The fact is that production work takes place but for premeditated views of hosts and guests that cannot be known. We would like to state that Wontumi Media can never use this medium to disrespect our chiefs. Who are we? Manhyia Palace has provided us with this land to work.”

Directives
The Vice President of the KTC, Bantamhene, Baffour Asare Owusu Amankwatia VI, in his directives said, “He (Wontumi) should come along with Maurice Ampaw and the Management of his media house to answer why they decided to use their airtime to disrespect Nananom.”

The council further directed that even if Chairman Wontumi is sick, he should be brought before nananom on Monday in a wheelchair.