The Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Justice Srem-Sai, has broken his silence on the continued detention of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, confirming that the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is under investigation for a raft of serious criminal offences.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Thursday, May 29, Justice Srem-Sai revealed that Chairman Wontumi is being probed for alleged involvement in fraud, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering. These investigations are being conducted by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), with support from other law enforcement agencies.
In addition to the criminal investigation, authorities have initiated asset recovery proceedings aimed at preserving suspected proceeds of crime. The Deputy Attorney General emphasized that this move is necessary “to prevent further dissipation of what law enforcement agencies strongly suspect to be proceeds of crime.”
Justice Srem-Sai further disclosed that Wontumi is the subject of a second, parallel investigation tied to a larger international organised crime scheme, with EOCO working in close collaboration with international law enforcement partners.
“The criminal investigation is running concurrently with asset recovery processes,” Srem-Sai explained, adding that the broader case has transnational dimensions requiring cooperation across jurisdictions.
Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament today boycotted parliamentary proceedings midway and marched to the premises of EOCO in protest of what they described as the unfair detention of Chairman Wontumi.
The Minority further questioned why the investigative body is demanding GH¢50 million as bail for the embattled NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman.
