Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has been released by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
Chairman Wontumi left the premises of the security agency accompanied by his lawyers. He informed journalists that he provided documentation to the police during his interrogation, which he claims proves his non-involvement in any illegal mining activities. He further stated that he presented evidence demonstrating he was not mining in any forest reserve.
Mr. Boasiako was granted bail with two sureties.
Earlier today, Wontumi turned himself in to the Ghana Police Service following a failed attempt last week by operatives of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to execute a search warrant at his Kumasi home on May 23. A tense standoff ensued on that day when heavily armed national security operatives tried to enter his residence with a court-approved search warrant.
According to JoyNews, the operation nearly led to an arrest when Chairman Wontumi raised an alarm, drawing a crowd of supporters to the scene. The standoff prompted negotiations between the operatives and Wontumi’s legal team, leading to the operatives’ withdrawal and Wontumi’s lawyers agreeing to present him to the police on Monday.
The state is pursuing Bernard Antwi Boasiako for his alleged involvement in illegal mining activities through his company, Akonta Mining. Earlier this month, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah announced the termination of the Akonta Mining lease. Wontumi, however, is challenging this cancellation in court.
