Bernard Antwi-Boasiako
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), yesterday arrested the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi.
The arrest happened moments after he exited the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the police headquarters in Accra, where he is facing interrogations for allegedly entering and mining in a forest reserve without authorisation.
It was not clear why he was arrested or the possible offences for which officials of the anti-graft body whisked him away.
Wontumi was in the company of lawyer, Andy Appiah Kubi, when officials of EOCO apprehended him without any explanations.
The arrest has drawn significant condemnation from the public, with some suggesting the action constitutes an abuse of power, considering the fact that Mr. Antwi-Boasiako is currently under investigation by the police and is cooperating with them.
Chairman Wontumi was at the CID headquarters yesterday for further interrogations by the police as part of his bail conditions.
The police on Monday, May 26, 2025, granted Chairman Wontumi a police enquiry bail to assist with ongoing investigations into allegations related to illegal mining activities.
He arrived at the CID headquarters at midday, accompanied by a team of lawyers led by former Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame.
The police later confirmed in a statement that Mr. Antwi-Boasiako cooperated fully with investigators, provided his statement, and was subsequently granted bail.
Sources familiar with the interrogation disclosed that Chairman Wontumi denied all allegations levelled against him.
He reportedly submitted his mining licenses for verification, maintaining that his operations are entirely legal and regulated.
Spokesperson for the NPP in the Ashanti Region, Paul Yandoh, who witnessed the arrest, said, “We were here with chairman for the second day of his investigation with the CID officials, within less than five minutes after getting on the premises, from nowhere EOCO officials grabbed Wontumi into their car and drove to their office for interrogation in a bizarre manner.”
The arrest further adds to growing concerns about the manner in which the state security agencies have conducted raids on opposition members since the National Democratic Congress (NDC) took power after winning the 2024 election.
Masked security operatives, made up of personnel from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and the Ghana Police Service, had earlier stormed Wontumi’s home in what witnesses described as a Rambo-style operation, creating panic among residents and attracting large crowds, including NPP supporters.
NPP Protests
Meanwhile, the leadership of the NPP have condemned the Rambo-style arrest of Chairman Wontumi, who has fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies.
National Organiser of the party, Henry Nana Boakye, aka Nana B, has expressed concern over the arrest, stating that Wontumi was already cooperating with the police CID and had been granted bail, only to be picked up again by masked EOCO operatives in four pickups as he exited the CID premises.
He described the situation as “most unfortunate” and alleged that the government is operating like it’s in the “Dark Age”.
He expressed frustration that Wontumi’s lawyers, including himself and the General Secretary, Justice Kodua Frimpong were denied access to Wontumi and were not informed of the reasons for his arrest or the charges against him.
Nana B also questioned the timing and circumstances of Wontumi’s arrest, suggesting that it was unusual for one investigative body to apprehend someone who was already cooperating with another agency.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak & Prince Fiifi Yorke