Wontumi was arrested by EOCO for alleged fraud, organised crime — Deputy Attorney General
The Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Justice Srem Sai, has disclosed the reason behind the arrest of Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
According to him, the suspect—who has been in EOCO custody for two days—is under investigation for criminal offences including fraud, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering.
In a social media post on Thursday, May 29, Srem Sai stated that the investigation is running concurrently with asset recovery processes to prevent the further dissipation of what law enforcement agencies strongly suspect to be proceeds of crime.
“Suspect BERNARD ANTWI BOASIAKO, a.k.a. Chairman Wontumi, is under investigation for various criminal offences (including fraud, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering).
“The criminal investigation is running concurrently with asset recovery processes—to prevent further dissipation of what law enforcement agencies strongly suspect to be proceeds of crime,” he wrote.
He further revealed that, “The suspect is also under a second strand of investigation, which is part of a larger international organised crime scheme. The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is assiduously working with our international law enforcement partners on this second strand of criminal investigations.”
Chairman Wontumi was arrested by EOCO on Tuesday, May 27, after a two-day interrogation by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
After two days at EOCO, he has been given a yet to be met bail of GHS50 million with 2 sureties— conditions the Minority caucus in Parliament has criticised as excessive and intended to keep the ailing party chairman in custody.
In solidarity, the Minority caucus has boycotted parliamentary proceedings and stormed EOCO’s headquarters to demand his immediate release.