The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako a.k.a Chairman Wontumi’s hope of spending the weekend outside of the custody of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) was on Friday blighted with an application for bail variation at the High Court.
While officers at EOCO were ready to vet documents presented by the Member of Parliament of Abetifi constituency in the Eastern Region, Bryan Acheampong, through Chairman Womtumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, they were notified of a fresh application for review of the GHC 50m bail bond issued by EOCO.
In fact Mr Acheampong’s title documents was valued more than the GH¢50million bail bond granted to Chairman Wontumi.
However, EOCO officers could not begin the vetting of the documents due to the application for bail variation.
Counsel for Chairman Wontumi, Appiah-Kubi, told journalists that unknown to him, the application for bail variation which was filed on May 30, 2025 came to his attention Friday evening, preventing him and the officers of EOCO from proceeding to vet Mr Acheampong’s documents.
As such, Chairman Wontumi would have to spend the weekend in custody until the High Court makes a determination on the application for bail review which was filed by Gary Nimako Marfo.
This is because the application has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, 2025.
In light of the fact that Chairman Womtumi has already secured a surety through counsel Appiah-Kubi, Mr Nimako Marfo has an option to withdraw his application for bail review which has been slated for Tuesday in order to pave the way for EOCO officers to vet Mr Acheampong’s documents on Monday (June 2) for Chairman Womtumi to be released on bail pending investigations.
Chairman Wontumi is under investigations for multiple criminal offences including fraud, money laundering and causing financial loss to the state, the Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai stated on Thurrday.
According to the Deputy A-G, the ongoing criminal investigation is running concurrently with asset recovery efforts to prevent the suspected proceeds of crime from being dissipated. He also gave a hint of a second strand of investigations involving Chairman Wontumi’s alleged role in a larger international organised crime scheme. EOCO is said to be working closely with international law enforcement partners in this regard, he indicated.
Chairman Wontumi has already spent three nights in custody for failing to meet the bail conditions. He was granted bail in the sum of GH¢50 million with two sureties to be justified. He is to get at most two people to present documents either bank statements or proof of title of landed properties worth the bail bond.
