Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), widely known as Chairman Wontumi, recently found himself at the center of a significant legal and political episode involving his arrest, detention by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and subsequent release. The affair was marked by serious allegations, high-stakes bail proceedings, and political commentary.

Chairman Wontumi was arrested by EOCO officials on Tuesday, May 27, following an earlier invitation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service concerning ongoing investigations into alleged illegal mining (galamsey) activities. He had previously been cautioned regarding accusations of mining without a license, activities causing pollution to water bodies, and encroachment on forest reserves. Upon honoring the CID's invitation, he was taken into EOCO custody for further questioning. The allegations leveled against him by EOCO were severe, including suspicion of multiple criminal offences such as fraud, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state. The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, also indicated that investigations were running concurrently with asset recovery efforts and hinted at a potential connection to a larger international organised crime scheme, with EOCO collaborating with international law enforcement partners.

Following his arrest, Chairman Wontumi was granted bail on Wednesday, May 28, set at a substantial GH¢50 million with two sureties to be justified. The conditions for this bail were met by Friday, May 30, with notable figures such as Dr. Bryan Acheampong, the NPP Member of Parliament for Abetifi, stepping in as a surety. However, Wontumi's release was not immediate. His legal team, led by Mr. Gary Nimako Marfo, the NPP's Director of Legal Affairs, had earlier filed a motion in court on May 30 to vary the bail condition, arguing that the GH¢50 million sum was excessively high and unreasonable. This motion was reportedly filed without Wontumi's explicit consent and was slated for a hearing on Tuesday, June 3, contributing to a delay in his release despite the bail conditions having been met.

The period of Wontumi's detention also saw political developments. On Friday, May 30, former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, accompanied by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, attempted to visit Chairman Wontumi at the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) headquarters. The visit was unsuccessful, leading Dr. Bawumia to publicly express his disappointment. This incident drew criticism, notably from Mohammed Adams Sukparu, the MP for Sissala West. Speaking on June 3, Sukparu accused Dr. Bawumia of dishonesty, alleging that the former Vice President was aware that Wontumi had been brought to the NIB headquarters but was then moved back due to concerns about crowd management and potential chaos, and that Bawumia then misrepresented the situation for political sympathy.

The legal impasse surrounding the bail review was resolved on Monday, June 2. Chairman Wontumi's legal team formally withdrew the motion that sought a review of his bail conditions. Mr. Gary Nimako Marfo also filed an application to discontinue the pursuit of varying the bail. Following these legal maneuvers, Bernard Antwi Boasiako was released from EOCO custody on the same day, Monday, June 2, after spending nearly a week in detention. His release was confirmed by the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, who also commended Dr. Bryan Acheampong for his role as surety.

A day after his release, on Tuesday, June 3, Chairman Wontumi made a prominent appearance at the NPP’s national headquarters in Accra. He was greeted by scores of jubilant supporters. Contradicting observations that he appeared unwell and limped on the day of his release, Wontumi, dressed in all-white, was reportedly beaming with smiles, exchanged pleasantries, and even gestured to demonstrate his well-being. He publicly expressed his gratitude to the party leadership and grassroots members for their unwavering support during his detention, with special appreciation for NPP General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua's leadership.

The arrest of Chairman Wontumi had elicited strong reactions from his party, the NPP, which contended that the arrest was politically motivated to target the Ashanti Regional Chairman. This sentiment was underscored when NPP stalwarts, including the Minority Leader, boycotted parliamentary proceedings to picket at EOCO in protest. As Chairman Wontumi assists with investigations from home, it remains unclear when the authorities will conclude their inquiries into the serious allegations or if formal charges will be brought against him.