Lawyers for the embattled Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, have filed an application for review of bail conditions at the High Court.
Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, alias Chairman Wontumi, was arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on May 27. Although he has not been formally charged, the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem Sai has disclosed that Chairman Wontumi is being investigated for money laundering among others.
His explanation is contained in a post on his Facebook page on May 29.
“Suspect BERNARD ANTWI BOASIAKO, a.k.a. Chairman Wontumi, is under investigation for various criminal offences (including fraud, causing financial loss to the State, and money laundering),” he wrote.
The suspect is also under a second strand of investigation which is part of a lager international organised crime scheme. The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is assiduously working with our international law enforcement partners on this second strand of criminal investigations.”
The EOCO has therefore placed a bail amount of GHC50 million on Chairman Wontumi, with two sureties to be justified.
However, the lawyers for Chairman Wontumi considered the condition onerous. This resulted in members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament boycotting proceedings in the House. They massed up at the premises of EOCO with their supporters to demand the variation of the bail condition.
Some stakeholders advised that the right thing to do is to apply for a review of the bail condition in court.
Pursuant to this, on May 30, lawyers for Chairman Wontumi applied to the High Court accordingly.
In the application filled by Garry Nimako Marfo Esq dated May 30, he wrote, “TAKE NOTICE that Counsel for and on behalf of the Applicant herein will move this Honourable Court on an application praying for an Order of Court reviewing the bail conditions imposed by the 1st Respondent on the Applicant under investigation upon the grounds contained in the accompanying affidavit and for such further Orders as this Honourable court may deem meet,” a part of the application read.
“COURT TO BE MOVED on Tuesday the 3rd day of June, 2025 at 9 0’clock in the forenoon or so soon thereafter as Counsel for and on behalf of the Applicant may be heard,” it added.
The 1st respondent is stated as the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and Attorney-General as the 2nd.
