Barely 3 days after stepping up as one of the sureties for Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), who was recently granted bail, Hon Ken Ohene Agyapong has again offered himself as one of the sureties for the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

This follows efforts by Chairman Wontumi’s legal team to secure a GHS50 million bail bond for the beleaguered regional chairman, who is under investigation by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over some financial dealings with EXIM Bank.

EOCO on Wednesday admitted Chairman Wontumi to bail in the sum of GH¢50 million with two sureties to be justified. His lawyer, Andy Appiah Kubi, who disclosed this, said his client was interrogated by the investigative body on charges of causing financial loss to the state.

The police enquiry bail by EOCO is to allow Boasiako to be temporarily released from police custody pending investigations, after hours of interrogation at the EOCO head office in Accra last Tuesday. Mr Boasiako is said to have fallen ill after hours of interrogation.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service had early on Tuesday, invited Chairman Wontumi to assist with ongoing investigations linked to alleged illegal mining (galamsey) activities.

He had previously been cautioned over accusations of mining without a licence, activities that are polluting water bodies and encroachment of forest reserves.

However, after honouring the CID’s invitation, he was subsequently picked up by EOCO officials and transported to their head office for further questioning, reportedly on related issues.
The arrest triggered an immediate reaction from scores of NPP supporters, including party executives who stormed the EOCO premises in protest, demanding his release.

The whereabouts of Chairman Wontumi as at the time of this report was unknown as it remains unconfirmed if he was released or spent the night in EOCO’s custody after meeting the bail conditions.
In his first public reaction since Chairman Wontumi’s arrest, Ken Agyapong, the 6-term former MP for Assin Central, was circumspect on the substantive case and matters arising, insisting he did not have the full facts to comment on.

The business magnate, however, took the opportunity to appeal to the NPP faithful to rally around the party in these difficult times.
The presidential hopeful bemoaned the divisive tactics being used by some NPP activists, including his supporters, who sow seeds of discord and disunity.
He said if this continues, the NPP may remain in opposition for a while.