BY Daniel Bampoe
Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has reportedly taken a personal interest in securing the release of the New Patriotic Party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
Chairman Wontumi has now spent three nights in custody at the headquarters of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) in Accra.
Dr Bawumia is expected to storm the EOCO premises today to visit him.
Chairman Wontumi was earlier this week granted bail set at GH¢50 million with two sureties, following his arrest and subsequent detention over allegations involving fraud, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state.
Despite being granted bail, his legal team has struggled to meet the bail conditions, delaying his release.
Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah Kubi, in a briefing to journalists, confirmed that while the bail has been granted, the process of verifying the sureties is still ongoing.
“This is part of an ongoing police inquiry. We are complying fully, and hopefully, the conditions will be met soon,” he stated.
In a significant development, Dr. Bawumia has stepped in to facilitate the bail process by arranging all necessary sureties for Wontumi’s release.
If the verification of these sureties is completed today, Chairman Wontumi could walk free by the close of the day.
Meanwhile, the political temperature around the matter continues to rise.
An online campaign dubbed “Free Chairman Wontumi Now” has been launched by NPP supporters, with flyers trending across social media platforms.
Some party youth wings and grassroots members have also warned of street protests if the bail process continues to be delayed.
The tension has spilled over into Parliament, where Minority MPs have declared their intention to boycott proceedings unless Chairman Wontumi is released.
On Thursday, May 29, members of the Minority caucus staged a symbolic protest outside EOCO’s offices.
They dispersed around 6:30 pm. after hours of demanding Wontumi’s release.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin criticized what he described as the “unfair treatment” of the NPP regional chairman, raising concerns about the legal and political implications.
“If there are genuine concerns to be investigated, let them be pursued with fairness, transparency, and dignity. But what we witnessed was none of that,” he said.
Wontumi, a prominent figure within the NPP and a powerful force in Ashanti Region politics, has long been a controversial character, often drawing both admiration and criticism for his aggressive political style and media dominance.
His current legal troubles, however, mark one of the most serious challenges to his political career.
As of Friday morning, EOCO has not issued any official update on the status of the surety verification or Wontumi’s release timeline.
However, with the 2024 Presidential candidate involved, party insiders suggest that his release may be imminent — a development that could cool growing tensions both within Parliament and on the streets.
