EOCO arrests NPP’s Ashanti Regional chairman Wontumi after CID interrogation | Nsemkeka
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has been arrested by officials from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
The arrest occurred on Tuesday, May 27, shortly after Chairman Wontumi exited the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Accra, where he had been invited for further questioning over allegations of illegal mining activities.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Wontumi had earlier reported to the CID in compliance with his bail conditions. He was previously cautioned on Monday, May 26, for allegedly engaging in mining operations without a license, polluting water bodies, and unlawfully entering a forest reserve.
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The CID, in a statement issued Monday, confirmed that Mr. Antwi-Boasiako had appeared before investigators accompanied by a legal team led by former Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame. The statement noted that Wontumi fully cooperated with investigators and submitted a formal statement before being granted bail.
Despite his compliance, EOCO operatives intercepted and picked him up for further questioning as he left the CID headquarters on Tuesday. The precise reasons behind EOCO’s intervention remain unclear, and the agency has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
Chairman Wontumi has publicly denied any involvement in illegal mining or wrongdoing related to a reported payment from COCOBOD. Addressing journalists after his initial interrogation on Monday, he insisted that his mining operations complied with legal requirements and accused his detractors of political sabotage.
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His legal team is yet to comment on the latest developments.
The case continues to draw national attention amid growing concerns over illegal mining activities, commonly referred to as galamsey, and their impact on Ghana’s forests and water bodies.