The legal team of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has successfully met the bail conditions set by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
However, a pending court motion is reportedly preventing his immediate release.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, May 30, lead counsel Andy Appiah-Kubi assured party supporters and the public that Chairman Wontumi was in good health and stable condition while in custody.
“He is good, he is healthy, and there is nothing to worry about,” Appiah-Kubi said, calming concerns that had grown since Wontumi’s arrest.
The NPP stalwart had been granted bail by EOCO on Wednesday, May 28, to the tune of GHS 50 million with two justified sureties. According to Appiah-Kubi, those bail conditions have now been fully met.
“We have been able to provide the sureties. That one, I can assure you,” he confirmed. He went on to express his heartfelt appreciation to Abetifi MP and former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, whose intervention helped secure the necessary documentation to satisfy the bail terms.
“I am very grateful to Honourable Bryan Acheampong, who has supported me in providing the documents. He has brought documents that are over and above the value of the money required,” Appiah-Kubi added.
Despite fulfilling the bail conditions, the legal team encountered an unexpected legal hurdle. Appiah-Kubi disclosed that a court motion had been filed—unknown to him at the time—which has complicated the process of securing Wontumi’s release.
“Unknown to me, an application was filed that prohibits us from securing his release,” he revealed.
The motion in question, filed by Marfo & Associates at the High Court in Accra, seeks a review of the bail conditions and may be aimed at either altering or suspending the terms previously set by EOCO. The exact content and legal grounds of the motion are yet to be made public, but sources close to the case suggest it could delay Wontumi’s release for several more days.
Chairman Wontumi was initially arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service on Tuesday, May 27, before he was picked up by EOCO for further investigation. He is currently under investigation for alleged financial misconduct, including possible links to financial losses to the state.
The case has sparked significant political and public interest, with top NPP figures, including former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, visiting the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) in a bid to check on his welfare.
As of Friday evening, heavy security remained stationed around the NIB premises, and party supporters continued to gather in solidarity as legal proceedings unfolded.
