By Benjamin A. Commey

Accra, June 4, GNA – The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) did not violate any human rights laws in the arrest and detention of Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Mr. Joseph Whittal, Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), said the agency acted within its legal mandate and committed no offence.

Mr. Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, was arrested and detained by EOCO on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, and released on Monday, June 2, 2025, after meeting his bail conditions of GH¢50 million with two sureties.

Though EOCO is yet to formally charge him, the Office of the Attorney-General has indicated that he is under investigation for various offences, including fraud, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering.

Speaking to the media in Accra on Tuesday, Mr. Whittal said EOCO acted lawfully and did not infringe on the rights of Mr. Boasiako.

“I must say, as a disclaimer, I was not there, but what I know, reading from your media, clearly EOCO, administratively did the right thing.

“Any of us is subject to arrest at any given time, and they have the powers of the police. They arrested him.

“There has been a delay. They granted bail within 48 hours. It is the nature of the conditions of the bail that has delayed the release of the chairperson of the NPP in Ashanti Region,” he said.

Commenting on public concerns about the bail amount, Mr. Whittal said it was likely determined based on the severity of the potential charges.

“I must say, GH¢50 million depends on what they intend to charge him with. The gravity of the charges will determine the size of the bail, and so, once the charges are not yet out, nobody can hazard.

“So, I want to believe that they did the right thing. And I think his lawyer kept saying that EOCO has done well. They have done nothing that we should take them on,” he said.

“The period within which they granted bail was within the 48 hours. It is the onerous nature of the conditions, and I can’t say whether they are onerous because we don’t know the gravity of the charges that the chairperson is facing or will face,” he added.

Mr. Whittal expressed concern about the trend of public gatherings at security agencies during high-profile arrests, urging Ghanaians to allow due process to take its course.

“I don’t think Ghanaians needed to mass up here when somebody is undergoing a normal constitutional process of arrest and investigation.

“To the extent that this gate of this commission had to be closed because anything could happen,” he said

GNA

Edited by Kenneth Sackey