The legal team representing embattled New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has pushed back against what they describe as excessive bail terms set by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), even as efforts to meet the conditions continue.
Speaking on *JoyNews’ The Pulse* on Friday, May 30, lead counsel Andy Appiah-Kubi confirmed that Wontumi remains in EOCO custody, four days after his arrest over alleged financial crimes, including fraud and money laundering.
Although the NPP stalwart was granted bail amounting to GH₵50 million with two justified sureties, his legal team has so far managed to secure only one. Appiah-Kubi disclosed that the process of securing the second surety is ongoing and could be completed “before the close of day.”
Amid speculation that former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia had intervened to provide the second surety, Appiah-Kubi clarified, “I don’t have any information from the former Vice President standing surety or declaring his intention to stand surety.”
He criticised EOCO’s bail conditions, describing them as “unreasonable” and hinted that the legal team had applied to the court for a possible variation. “We thought of the possibility of going to court for a variation of the condition… and we have filed this application,” he confirmed.
Meanwhile, concerns about Wontumi’s health continue to rise. According to Appiah-Kubi, his client has been unwell since his detention and is currently receiving medical care at a clinic. However, he dismissed rumors of a hunger strike, stating emphatically that “he is not on any hunger strike.”
The lawyer’s comments echo growing sentiments within the NPP and among sections of the public that the bail conditions may be politically motivated or intended to keep the Ashanti Regional Chairman in custody longer than necessary.
