Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Hassan Tampuli, has strongly criticized the arrest and continued detention of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Mr. Tampuli believes the way EOCO is handling the matter breaks Ghana’s Constitution. He explained that Wontumi has been in detention for more than 48 hours, which goes against Article 14(3) of the 1992 Constitution that protects people’s freedom.
According to him, “Wontumi’s long detention is illegal. The Constitution says no one should be kept for more than 48 hours without being taken to court, but that’s exactly what’s happening now.” He also suggested that this might be a case of political targeting rather than fair legal action. He made these revelations while speaking in an interview on Newsfile on Joy News on Saturday, 31st May, 2025.
Chairman Wontumi, who serves as the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), was arrested again by EOCO after being released earlier by the Police CID. He is being accused of financial crimes, though the exact charges have not been made public.
His lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, has made it clear that he will not be drawn into politics. He said his focus is only on using legal methods to secure his client’s freedom. “I won’t involve myself in the politics. I will deal with this case purely through the law,” he said.
The lawyer revealed that they had successfully met the bail conditions, which included GH¢50 million with two sureties. However, a new legal issue has come up that is stopping Wontumi from being released. According to Mr. Appiah-Kubi, someone filed an unexpected legal application, which will be addressed in court on Monday.
Meanwhile, NPP supporters have held protests demanding Wontumi’s release. Some NPP MPs even staged a sit-in at EOCO’s office, saying the bail conditions were too harsh and politically unfair. For now, Chairman Wontumi is expected to remain in custody until the next court hearing.
Watch the video below
https://youtube.com/watch?v=zNDo9keUwZY%3Fshowinfo%3D0
