The New Patriotic Occasion (NPP) minority in Parliament has strongly condemned the circumstances surrounding the arrest and bail situations of the get together’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, often known as Chairman Wontumi.
Chatting with JoyNews‘ Kwaku Asante on the Financial and Organised Crime Workplace (EOCO) headquarters in Accra, the Minority chief, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, described the GH¢50 million bail situation imposed on Wontumi as extreme and unjustifiable.
Chairman Wontumi, who was arrested earlier this week and interrogated by EOCO, was later granted bail of GH¢50 million with two sureties to be justified, a situation get together members declare is extreme and politically motivated.
Mr Afenyo-Markin questioned the rationale behind asking a citizen to first present properties price GH¢50 million earlier than being granted bail, particularly when the person had already cooperated with regulation enforcement businesses.
He known as on the authorities to rethink the GH¢50 million bail situation, arguing that it’s each unreasonable and pointless.
“He was arrested in a rambo-style… you interrogate him, he makes himself out there, and your subsequent factor is ‘go and produce title properties price 50 million cedis. What sort of nation are we in,” he requested.
“Have they seemed on the Structure? They need to differ the bail time period, the person is unwell. He’s of their [EOCO] custody, they know, so they need to differ. Wontumi is not going to run away.
The Minority Chief additionally issued a stern warning to the governing Nationwide Democratic Congress (NDC), urging them to mirror on their actions.
“I’m telling our pals within the NDC, 4 years will quickly come, and in the event that they suppose that what they’re doing is correct, they need to watch it.
“Deal with others the way in which you count on them to do unto you. If you happen to preserve Wontumi, are you utilizing bail to punish him? We’re right here protesting. What has Wontumi achieved?”
Additionally addressing the media, MP for Ofoase/Ayirebi and former Info Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, described the scenario as a misuse of state energy to realize political ends.
“All of us perceive that what’s going on just isn’t regulation, it’s politics, and other people must get that in the back of their thoughts. The federal government is looking for to make use of the authorized course of to realize political ends.
“This can be a man [Wontumi] who’s already cooperating with CID investigations. He’s been granted bail, then on his means residence, you now discover one other state organisation involves arrest him in a rambo-style swoop. Now, you impose this bail situations simply in order that he’ll battle to satisfy it after which you’ll be able to preserve him behind bars,” he stated.
He warned that the State was setting a harmful precedent, utilizing what he described as “the coercive energy of the State” to intimidate political actors.
“That is politics, it isn’t regulation, and that’s the reason now we have to attract the eye that that is unacceptable. They’re utilizing the coercive energy of the State in an try to intimidate political opponents, and that’s what we have to draw consideration to,” Mr Nkrumah added.
In the meantime, the NPP’s Nationwide Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, often known as Nana B, raised critical considerations over Wontumi’s present whereabouts, claiming EOCO officers have been unable to substantiate his location.
“What they [EOCO] are telling us is that Wontumi just isn’t right here. We’ve got requested about his whereabouts, and they’re unable to substantiate. We’ve requested the director, and we’re instructed the Director-Basic just isn’t right here, his deputies are usually not right here. We demand that there needs to be equity in all of this,” he stated.
Addressing President John Mahama instantly, Nana B stated, “President Mahama, what is occurring on this nation? This isn’t the rule of regulation.
“This can be a rule of a sure particular person someplace wanting to point out that sure now we have energy, we’re in cost. He was picked up on Tuesday, as we converse, its been 48 hours and they’re telling us that they don’t know his whereabouts.”
The Minority caucus, together with NPP supporters, has been protesting on the EOCO workplace, demanding a overview of the bail situations and fast launch of Chairman Wontumi, who has been in custody for over 48 hours.
The NPP members insisted they have been going to stay on the EOCO headquarters till Wontumi was launched, however they finally dispersed a bit of after 6:00pm.
Supply: Myjoyonline
ALSO READ:
