Secret Attempt to smuggle Wuntumi out of Cell Foiled
By Phillip Antoh
A high-level security decision has resulted in the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, being barred* from visiting detained Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, currently held by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).
Chairman Wontumi was arrested earlier this week as part of an extensive probe into alleged economic crimes including money laundering, fraud, and the misuse of over GHS10 million allocated by Exim Bank Ghana for small-scale mining rehabilitation projects.
SECURITY BREACHES
The New Republic has reliably gathered that following Wontumi’s arrest, Dr. Bawumia placed a direct call to the National Security Minister seeking permission to visit his regional party chairman. An agreement was reached for a small delegation of five, led by Bawumia, to quietly visit the EOCO premises.
However, information about the visit was leaked to Minority Members of Parliament, who in turn mobilized party supporters. A crowd quickly gathered at EOCO headquarters, leading to a tense standoff that nearly escalated into violence.
To de-escalate the situation, security officials attempted to relocate the visit to a second, undisclosed location, but once again, the venue was compromised. According to insiders, a group of party operatives and supporters attempted to forcibly remove Wontumi from EOCO custody, triggering swift intervention by security forces to prevent a jailbreak.
Following these two major breaches, EOCO decided to cancel any visit Bawumia’s or any NPP official from attempting to visit Wontumi.
UNDER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
Investigators say Wontumi is at the centre of a widening probe involving:
– Alleged misappropriation of over GHS10 million from Exim Bank
– False claims of financing galamsey rehabilitation projects
– Suspected ownership of luxury vehicles — including Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, and Ferraris — believed to be stolen from abroad
– Multiple counts of fraud, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state
Asset recovery processes have also begun in parallel to the criminal investigations, aimed at retrieving suspected proceeds of crime before they can be transferred or concealed.
PARTY TENSIONS MOUNT
The dramatic fallout has shaken the NPP’s internal ranks, as senior figures are said to be divided over how to manage the Wontumi crisis. With national elections on the horizon, the scandal could have broader implications for the party’s image and electoral prospects.
The New Republic will continue to monitor developments closely.