Wontumi under investigation over fraud, money laundering, others – Dept. AG

Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Justice Srem-Sai, has confirmed that Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is under investigation for multiple criminal offences including fraud, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering.

This comes after tensions escalated in Accra following Wontumi’s continued detention, despite being granted bail on Wednesday, May 28.

The bail terms included a GH¢50 million bond with two sureties, both of whom must justify their eligibility.

Wontumi remains in custody after failing to meet the conditions.

In a dramatic show of support, Minority Members of Parliament staged a sit-in protest outside EOCO’s headquarters on Thursday, May 29, demanding his release.

Clad in symbolic red and black, the MPs marched from Parliament to the EOCO office in Accra Central, blocking its main entrance and singing solidarity songs.

The protest, led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, temporarily disrupted traffic and drew heavy police presence.

Addressing Parliament earlier, Afenyo-Markin declared that NPP MPs would boycott parliamentary proceedings and spend the night at EOCO in solidarity with their embattled colleague.

The MPs insist their action is not intended to interfere with investigations, but to highlight what they perceive as unfair and politically motivated treatment of Chairman Wontumi.

Meanwhile, former Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong has volunteered to serve as one of the required sureties for Wontumi.

Reacting to that in a social media post [X], the Deputy Attorney General revealed that investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) are being conducted in two separate strands.

According to him, the first involves domestic charges related to financial crimes, while the second focuses on Wontumi’s alleged involvement in a larger international organised crime operation.

He added that EOCO is collaborating closely with international law enforcement agencies on this cross-border investigation.

“Suspect BERNARD ANTWI BOASIAKO, a.k.a. Chairman Wontumi, is under investigation for various criminal offences (including fraud, causing financial loss to the State, and money laundering). The criminal investigation is running concurrently with asset recovery processes – to prevent further dissipation of what law enforcement agencies strongly suspect to be proceeds of crime.”

He added, “The suspect is also under a second strand of investigation which is part of a lager international organised crime scheme. The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is assiduously working with our international law enforcement partners on this second strand of criminal investigations.”