Wontumi’s Arrest: Public Deserves Clarity from EOCO – Martin Kpebu – GhArticles.com
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has strongly criticized the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for its silence following the arrest of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Speaking on TV3’s The KeyPoints on Saturday, May 31, Kpebu argued that EOCO owes the public an official explanation. “Governance runs on information; it is not anybody’s private property,” he stated. He added that withholding such crucial details only fuels speculation and undermines public trust.
Wontumi was arrested on May 27, 2025, by EOCO without any immediate public disclosure regarding the reason. It wasn’t until later in the day that his lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, informed journalists that his client was being interrogated over alleged financial dealings with the EXIM Bank. “They laid charges on the relationship between himself and EXIM Bank,” Appiah-Kubi stated, confirming that the interrogation would continue once his client recovered.
Kpebu criticized EOCO for allowing the vacuum of information to be filled with assumptions. “By now, EOCO should have told us why Wontumi is being charged,” he emphasized, noting that EOCO boss Raymond Archer, himself a journalist, should appreciate the importance of timely and transparent communication.
Kpebu also addressed complaints about the “punitive” nature of Wontumi’s bail conditions, pointing out that such terms are typically based on the financial scale of the alleged offence. “Dr Bawumia said the bail is too much. I think he got the wrong advice. He should rather ask what Wontumi is being charged for,” Kpebu added.
In the absence of an official EOCO statement, Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Srem Sai later disclosed via Facebook on May 29 that Chairman Wontumi is under investigation for fraud, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state. He further revealed that EOCO is working in collaboration with international law enforcement agencies on a second layer of investigations tied to a broader organized crime network.
Dr. Sai added that asset recovery efforts are underway to prevent further dissipation of what law enforcement suspects are proceeds of crime.