Security analyst Dr. Victor Doke has stated that the detention of NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) lacks legal foundation.
He believes the detainment of Wontumi could be influenced by political underpinnings, given the country’s current political dynamics.
“The Chairman is being kept not solely because of what the law requires, that he should be kept,” he has stated.
According to Dr. Doke, although security agencies are meant to enforce the law impartially, they are often exploited by political parties for their own advantage, depending on who’s in power.
Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight Thursday, May 29, 2025, Dr. Doke noted that Ghana’s political class tends to exploit these agencies for personal gain.
“It’s just because of the political sides to it. Holistically, when we look at the political dynamics of the country, what has happened in the past is ‘give and take’, depending on who is in office,” he asserted.
The conversation stems from the arrest of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, who had been kept in custody for two days and two nights, as of Thursday, May 28, for failing to meet his bail bond.
The Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, had claimed that the bail bond was too much, asking the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to immediately revoke it.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament Thursday, May 29, 2025, the Effutu Member of Parliament said the bail condition is just to punish Chairman Wontumi.
There was near drama as the First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, who was in the chair, drew the Minority Leader’s attention to orders 93 and 67 of Parliament’s Standing Orders.
But the Minority members rose to their feet, chanting and singing portions of the national anthem.
The Speaker finally granted the Minority Leader leave to raise his concerns. Afeny-Markin stressed the need for the rule of law to be enforced, noting Chairman Wontumi is unwell and has been sent to the NIB clinic.
He said the move by EOCO is just to punish the Ashanti regional NPP Chairman. “It’s clear the 50 million cedis is to punish him.”
He wants EOCO to revoke the 50 million cedis bail condition slapped on Wontumi, or his side would protest by absenting themselves from proceedings. “Eoco must, without delay revoke the bail condition.”
After his submission, the first deputy speaker gave his ruling, indicating parliament cannot help in this matter as it cannot tell EOCO what to do.
The Minority then staged a walked out, and the house subsequently adjourned sitting.
Upon walking out of the chamber, the Minority members continued to the premises of EOCO where they sat on the floor in protest of the bail condition.
Minority MPs sit on the floor in front of EOCO’s office to protest Wontumi’s bail conditions
