Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Justice Srem-Sai might have provided some general insights into the basis upon which the Economic and Organized Crime Office, EOCO investigating the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, NPP Bernard Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi. In a social media post following the picketing by the minority at the premises of EOCO, Srem-Sai revealed the investigations are concurrently going on with asset recovery by the state investigative body. Srem-Sai further indicated the investigations bother on fraud, money laundering and causing financial loss to the State.
“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).”
“The criminal investigation is running concurrently with asset recovery processes – to prevent further dissipation of what law enforcement agencies strongly suspect to be proceeds of crime.”
“The suspect is also under a second strandof 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.” Srem-Sai posted on Facebook.
It has emerged that the troubles of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, NPP Bernard Antwi Boasiako are hydra-headed. Chairman Wontumi’s detention and subsequent 50 million cedis bail Accra News Online has gathered has got to do with the payment of 50 million cedis to him by COCOBOD by the immediate past management after the December 7 elections contrary to a caution from the NDC transition team against such a move.
The payment according to sources is for a Cocoa road project awarded to Wontumi under the Nana Addo administration. Accra News Online understands this matter is the reason why the bail is pegged at 50 million cedis the same as the payment made to him by COCOBOD. The other leg upon which EOCO is standing is the vehicle Wontumi drove to the police CID for his second invitation over the investigations into the mining activities of his Akonta Mining Company.
According to sources upon his arrest by EOCO upon leaving the premises of the police CID, checks ran on the luxurious vehicle he was driving in flagged it as stolen. The CIA and Interpol have on a number of occasions tracked luxury vehicles to West African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria reported stolen and shipped down. Some of those vehicles are retrieved from individuals or garages and shipped back to their countries of origin.
Accra News Online understands EOCO is currently in touch with its International counterparts over the vehicle recovered from chairman Wontumi. As at this moment, EOCO has not established as to whether Wontumi just bought a vehicle that turned out to be stolen or he was aware of the status of the vehicle before buying it or even part of the criminal syndicate.
The last matter on the radar of EOCO we understand is a facility Wontumi took from Eximbank which has become a subject of criminal investigations.
Chairman Wontumi remains in EOCO custody two days after he was granted bail. The minority has been protesting the bail amount of 50 million cedis arguing it’s onerous.
According to minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the NPP regional chairman who took I’ll while in custody is now on a hunger strike. Some minority members have today massed up at the premises of the National Investigations Bureau, NIB demanding Wontumi’s release.
Former Vice President and 2024 Flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin have been at the headquarters of the NIB in an attempt to secure the release of Womtumi.
Accra News Online has gathered the former Vice President Dr. Bawumia however had to leave the NIB headquarters without seeing Chairman Wontumi. The attempt by Dr. Bawumia and the minority leader to access the offices of the NIB per reports was chaotic as the duo was initially refused entry.
