Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, is presently being investigated for a number of significant criminal offenses, including fraud, inflicting financial loss to the state, and money laundering, according to Justice Srem-Sai, the Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice.
Justice Srem-Sai revealed in a statement on his official X (formerly Twitter) account that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is in charge of the ongoing investigation and that asset recovery procedures are already in place to recover alleged criminal gains.
“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 Deputy Attorney General stated.
He also stated that the asset recovery procedures are being carried out in parallel with the criminal investigation “to prevent further dissipation of what law enforcement agencies strongly suspect to be proceeds of crime.”
The Deputy Attorney General also disclosed that there is another, more intricate line of inquiry going on. He clarified that there is a connection between this second phase and a broader global organized crime network.
He said that EOCO is working with international law enforcement partners to fully investigate Wontumi’s possible involvement.
“The suspect is also under a second strand of investigation which is part of a larger 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,” he added.
The NPP Minority in Parliament has accused President John Mahama of targeting Wontumi for political motives and has accused him of political persecution.
This latest development comes amid heightened political tensions. Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, is a well-known member of the party and has been an active and visible element of the campaign apparatus.
Even though EOCO has not yet made an official announcement regarding the investigation’s specifics, the Deputy Attorney General’s speech is the most direct public acknowledgement as date of the gravity and breadth of the accusations against the NPP leadership.