Chairman Wontumi has been in custody since Tuesday
The legal team of the embattled Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, has confirmed that they have fulfilled the GH₵50 million bail conditions set by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
In an interview on Friday, May 30, 2025, lead counsel Andy Appiah-Kubi told JoyNews that all necessary documentation for the two sureties has been completed, with significant assistance from former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.
“We have been able to provide the sureties, that one, I can assure you, and I’m very grateful to Honourable Bryan Acheampong, who has supported me to file the documents,” Appiah-Kubi said.
He added, “He has brought his documents, which go over and above the value of money that is required. So I thank you very much.”
Chairman Wontumi was granted bail on Tuesday, May 27, requiring GH₵50 million with two justified sureties, following his arrest by EOCO on suspicions of fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes. Until Friday, his team had only secured one surety.
However, Appiah-Kubi revealed that despite meeting the bail conditions, Wontumi’s release is stalled due to a fresh legal application filed earlier in the day.
“My client is not going home tonight. We encountered a challenge that needs to be addressed before we can go forward,” he explained.
“Unknown to me, there was an application to frustrate what we are doing, so we will deal with it on Monday. It is an application that was not filed by my good self, but that prohibits us,” Appiah-Kubi noted.
He disclosed that EOCO officers were prepared to inspect the properties listed by the sureties, but the pending court application legally prevents them from proceeding until the issue is resolved.
“They had agreed to do the inspection tonight, so all the officers are there, but the challenge that I faced is legal. We can’t do it,” he said.
Appiah-Kubi also addressed confusion over Wontumi’s whereabouts, contradicting earlier claims by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Regarding Wontumi’s health, he dismissed rumours of a hunger strike and confirmed that Wontumi is receiving medical attention.
“We had brought him to meet with the former Vice President, but the situation we saw was difficult—to arrange this meeting, to pass through the crowd, to get the Vice President to see him and talk to him. So we had to take him back,” he recounted.
“I told you that his condition of health requires attention. So he’s receiving attention, and there’s nothing to worry about in respect of his health,” Appiah-Kubi assured.
The lawyer remains optimistic that once the court matter is resolved, Chairman Wontumi will be released by Monday, June 2.
