The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is currently being denied access to his family while in the custody of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), his lawyer has confirmed.

Speaking on JoyNews' The Pulse today, Wontumi's lawyer Andy Appiah-Kubi stated, "That is true," when asked about accusations from the NPP Ashanti Regional Chapter that EOCO was preventing his family from seeing him.

Mr Appiah-Kubi explained that, even as his legal representative, he must "apply for the application to be approved" and "be led by an official" to gain access to his client.

He added that Wontumi's phones have been confiscated, making it impossible for him to communicate with anyone independently.

The lawyer views this restriction as a "violation" of his client's rights.

His legal team indicated that they would consider seeking further redress for the denial of family access at an "appropriate time", with their immediate focus on securing his release.

Chairman Wontumi is receiving medical attention at a clinic while in EOCO's custody, and his lawyer confirmed he "has been unwell and is still unwell."

However, the lawyer denied knowledge of any hunger strike, stating he had dinner with Wontumi just two days prior.

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The legal team has met the GHS 50 million bail conditions imposed by EOCO, which require two justified sureties, but they have to wait until Monday to ascertain the fate of the outspoken regional chairman, as EOCO has filed another suit in court.

Wontumi's legal representatives have already filed an application in court seeking a variation of the bail conditions, which they describe as "most difficult and worse and most unfair".

The lawyer highlighted that while EOCO has the mandate to arrest, the "mode" of Wontumi's apprehension, being "accosted in the middle of the road and arrested" without prior direct invitation, is a primary concern.

Chairman Wontumi was initially invited by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for allegedly mining without a license and polluting a river in the Western Region.

He has denied all these allegations. His current detention by EOCO focuses on separate allegations of "causing financial loss to the state".

Despite the challenging circumstances, Wontumi is reportedly "not too happy with the situation" but has expressed his willingness to cooperate with any legitimate invitations from security agencies.