Lawyer Martin Kpebu Criticises Chairman Wontumi’s Continued Detention by EOCO
- Lawyer Martin Kpebu has criticised EOCO for detaining NPP’s Chairman Wontumi despite granting him bail
- Chairman Wontumi was arrested at the CID headquarters and granted GH¢50 million bail with two sureties
- Kpebu, who previously reported Wontumi for illegal mining, insists the case should go to court, not EOCO custody
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Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has strongly opposed the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over the continued detention of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
The controversial politician has been in EOCO custody since Tuesday, 27 May 2025, after he was arrested at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
Source: UGC
On Wednesday, 28 May 2025, EOCO granted Chairman Wontumi bail of GH¢50 million, with two sureties to be justified.
However, lawyers for Chairman Wontumi and the NPP minority group in Parliament have demanded that EOCO vary the bail bond, arguing that the conditions are excessive.
Reacting to this, lawyer Martin Kpebu, who previously reported Chairman Wontumi to the CID alongside some Ghanaian citizens for engaging in illegal mining, said he is not happy about Wontumi’s detention by EOCO.
He added that he would prefer to see Chairman Wontumi arraigned before the court to answer for his alleged crimes rather than being kept in custody.
Martin Kpebu consequently advised EOCO to publish the full facts explaining the arrest and the rationale behind the bail conditions.
“EOCO should come out with the facts. When you don’t, you allow citizens to speculate. I personally, along with Ken Ashigbey, Kwame Sarpong Asiedu, and Edem Senanu, reported Chairman Wontumi to the CID headquarters for galamsey. So I want to see him in court, not in detention,” he said.
Watch the video below:
Kpebu’s criticism of Wontumi’s detention sparks reactions
Lawyer Martin Kpebu’s criticism of EOCO’s continued detention of Chairman Wontumi has sparked reactions on social media.
YEN.com.gh compiled a few of the comments below:
@ExpressYourMin1 said:
“Exactly what I was saying. They have detained him for more than 48 hours without processing him for court. That is wrong! He said in court bail, people have been given higher bail conditions than this. EOCO is not the court.”
@DavidNk37839251 also said:
“Lol, haven’t you heard their update on his case? That’s why they are demanding that.”
@MarkSima3 commented:
“Exactly. In a top financial case like this, EOCO must update us so that the right thing is speculated. Our state institutions must tow the Attorney General’s style of leadership by addressing the media on some of these high-profile cases! We the people must always be carried along.”
Source: Getty Images
Bawumia breaks silence on Chairman Wontumi's arrest
YEN.com.gh reported that former Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has raised concerns over the arrest and detention of Chairman Wontumi.
Dr Bawumia called for strict adherence to constitutional rights and due process amid unclear charges and unknown whereabouts.
Chairman Wontumi was arrested by EOCO over an alleged $55 million fraud case involving his company, Akonta Mining.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
