Members of Parliament from the Minority Caucus staged a sit-in outside the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) headquarters in Accra on Thursday, May 29, in a dramatic political protest to call for the release of Chairman Wontumi, also known as Bernard Antwi Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Significant public attention was generated when the MPs, dressed in black and red, marched from Parliament and occupied parts of the roadway in front of EOCO’s office in Accra Central.
Chants and demands for justice characterized the demonstration, which stopped traffic and attracted a large police presence as security guards tried to keep the peace.
Under the leadership of Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the minority MPs denounced what they called political persecution and the use of official institutions as a weapon against political opponents.
The sit-in is a reaction to Wontumi’s ongoing EOCO incarceration following his failure to abide by the terms of a GH₵50 million bail that was issued on Wednesday, May 28.
After being summoned by the Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigations Department, Wontumi was taken into custody on Tuesday, May 27.
Alleged financial irregularities affecting the Ghana Export-Import Bank (EXIMBANK) are the subject of his investigation.
He has been granted bail by EOCO, but the requirements—that two sureties be provided—have not yet been met.
The National Organizer of the NPP, Henry Nana Boakye, denounced the “growing politicization of EOCO.”
Many observers have viewed the Minority’s actions as an uncommon display of togetherness, adding to the already heated political situation.
In the meantime, EOCO has remained silent about the situation and declined to discuss the specifics of the ongoing inquiry.
The investigation may entail intricate financial transactions connected to state finances and mining interests, according to sources close to the issue.
Political tensions are rising as Wontumi’s legal team scrambles to meet bail requirements; the case is now representing larger issues with justice, due process, and the autonomy of Ghana’s investigative agencies.
Source: newsthemegh.com