Ghana’s growing collaboration with international investigative bodies is gaining renewed attention as Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai, confirmed that foreign agencies are actively monitoring Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
In an appearance on PM Express on JoyNews, Dr. Srem Sai outlined the increasing role of cross-border partnerships in fighting economic and organised crime, with Chairman Wontumi emerging as a person of interest.
“There are issues with our foreign partners, an investigative agency,” he noted. “We have partnered with other foreign agencies who are interested in things that have been traced—or suspicions of crime that have been traced—to his business and him personally.”
Although the Deputy Attorney General stopped short of naming the agencies or detailing the suspected offences, his comments reflect a broader trend in which local law enforcement relies on international counterparts to pursue high-level and transnational investigations.
He clarified that the collaboration is not unidirectional: “It’s not that it will be triggered necessarily by our foreign partners, but they are interested in what we are doing and they assist us, just as we assist them. That is how law enforcement works these days—it’s cooperative, it’s international.”
The involvement of foreign investigative entities signals a growing recognition of Ghana’s commitment to upholding international legal standards—even when politically exposed persons are involved.
Dr. Srem Sai revealed that suspicions relate to criminal proceeds and materials allegedly linked to Wontumi’s possession, raising questions about both domestic and international dimensions of the case.
Pressed on whether Wontumi’s activities had implications beyond Ghana’s borders, Dr. Srem Sai responded carefully: “That is something I cannot put out at this point.”
He further explained that revealing operational details would risk tipping off suspects and potentially undermining the work of investigators.
“What I’m also doing is to inform the suspects that we are looking for you in this direction. And then it helps them to evade,” he warned.
The Deputy Attorney General’s remarks indicate that Ghana’s legal institutions are positioning themselves within a wider international crime-fighting architecture. As global financial systems become increasingly interlinked, so too do the mechanisms for detecting and prosecuting wrongdoing—especially when involving figures with influence and visibility.
While the government has previously faced criticism for selective justice, Dr. Srem Sai reiterated that current investigations are rooted in law, not partisanship. “We will not persecute anyone,” he assured.
As the Wontumi case continues to unfold, it is quickly evolving into a test of Ghana’s resolve to uphold rule of law across political and geographical boundaries.
