Chairman Wontumi Arrested by EOCO After CID Interrogation Over Illegal Mining Allegations
Accra | May 27, 2025 — The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has been arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) shortly after leaving the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Accra.
The circumstances surrounding the arrest remain unclear, but sources suggest it is connected to ongoing investigations into illegal mining activities, including alleged operations in forest reserves and unauthorised entry into protected areas.
In an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Communications Director, Paul Yandoh, confirmed the arrest and expressed concern that Chairman Wontumi has been denied access to legal counsel.
“One of his lawyers, Andy Appiah-Kubi, who was with him at the time of arrest, was prevented from following him,” Yandoh stated.
The arrest comes amidst mounting pressure on law enforcement to clamp down on illegal mining — known locally as galamsey — and prosecute individuals, regardless of political affiliation, found complicit in the environmental menace.
Chairman Wontumi had earlier been invited by the CID for further questioning on his alleged involvement in mining operations that reportedly violated Ghana’s environmental and mining laws.
As of now, Chairman Wontumi remains in EOCO custody, and the agency has yet to release an official statement regarding the specific charges or reasons for the detention.
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