‘Gh?50m bail is very onerous’ – Dr Bawumia slams EOCO after failed attempt to secure Wontumi’s release

‘Gh?50m bail could be very onerous’ – Dr Bawumia slams EOCO after failed try and safe Wontumi’s launch

Former Vice President and 2024 presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Occasion (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has strongly criticised the Financial and Organised Crime Workplace (EOCO), over what he describes as an onerous GH?50 million bail situation imposed on NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly often called Chairman Wontumi.

Chairman Wontumi was arrested by EOCO on Tuesday, 27 Could and has remained in custody since.

Though he was granted bail within the sum of GH?50 million with two sureties, each to be justified, he has up to now been unable to satisfy the situations for his launch.

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The incident has triggered important political stress. A number of NPP supporters, together with senior occasion leaders, have thronged each EOCO’s headquarters and the workplaces of the Nationwide Intelligence Bureau (NIB) in protest.

On Friday, 30 Could, Dr Bawumia, accompanied by Minority Chief Alexander Afenyo-Markin, visited the NIB in an effort to facilitate Wontumi’s launch. Nevertheless, the try proved unsuccessful.

Chatting with the media, Dr Bawumia expressed his disappointment at not being allowed entry to Wontumi regardless of prior preparations:

Sadly, we’re right here on the NIB, and EOCO really feel that the group is such that they’re unable to convey him right here in the intervening time. They’ve indicated they have to make correct preparations earlier than we will see him. We’re very, very disenchanted, particularly as we had made prior preparations.

Dr Bawumia went on to sentence the bail situations, suggesting they have been intentionally set to delay Wontumi’s launch:

I have to placed on document that the bail situations set for Chairman Wontumi, GH?50 million with two justified sureties, are extraordinarily onerous. I doubt many individuals in Ghana have property value GH?50 million. It seems this was supposed merely to stop his well timed launch. However, we’ll observe the due authorized course of to make sure his launch as quickly as doable.

The previous Vice President additionally appealed for calm amongst occasion supporters, urging them to chorus from any actions which may escalate the state of affairs.

Fees In opposition to Chairman Wontumi

Chairman Wontumi is at present under investigation for a number of felony offences, together with fraud, cash laundering, and inflicting monetary loss to the state.

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In line with Deputy Lawyer Normal Justice Srem-Sai, the investigation is being performed in parallel with asset restoration processes aimed toward stopping the dissipation of belongings suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Moreover, Wontumi is believed to be linked to a broader worldwide organised crime community. EOCO is reportedly collaborating with worldwide legislation enforcement businesses to pursue this line of investigation.

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