Lawyers for the embattled Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, say they have successfully met the bail conditions set by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), but a new legal complication is preventing his release.

According to lead counsel Andy Appiah-Kubi, all the necessary documentation for the two sureties has been completed, with significant support from the former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.

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“We have been able to provide the sureties, that one, I can assure you, and I’m very grateful to Honourable Bryan Acheampong, who has supported me to file the documents,” Mr Appiah-Kubi told JoyNews' Michael Ashaley exclusively on Friday, May 30.

“He has brought his documents, which go over and above the value of money that is required. So I thank you very much.”

Chairman Wontumi was granted bail on Tuesday, May 27, to the tune of GH₵50 million with two sureties, both to be justified, after he was arrested by EOCO on suspicion of involvement in fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes.

Until today, his legal team had only been able to secure one surety.

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Mr Appiah-Kubi, however, confirmed that despite having met all bail conditions, his client will not be going home yet due to a fresh legal application filed earlier in the day.

He noted that the legal team is working swiftly to resolve the new court matter and expressed hope that the issue could be cleared by Monday, which would pave the way for Chairman Wontumi’s release.

“My client is not going home tonight. We encountered a challenge that needs to be addressed before we can go forward,” he said.

“Unknown to me, there was an application to frustrate what we are doing, so we will deal with it on Monday. It is an application that was not filed by my good self, but that prohibits us.”

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The lawyer disclosed that although EOCO officers were ready to proceed with the inspection of the properties listed by the sureties, the pending court application legally restrains them from moving forward until the matter is resolved.

“They had agreed to do the inspection tonight, so all the officers are there, but the challenge that I faced is legal. We can’t do it,” he explained.

He also clarified confusion over the whereabouts of Chairman Wontumi, contradicting earlier claims by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who had indicated they were unaware of his location.

Touching on his client’s health, the lawyer dismissed rumours of a hunger strike and assured the public that Wontumi was receiving medical care.

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“We had brought him to meet with the former Vice President, but the situation we saw was difficult—to arrange this meeting, to pass through the crowd, to get the Vice President to see him and talk to him. So we had to take him back,” he recounted.

“I told you that his condition of health requires attention. So he’s receiving attention and there’s nothing to worry about in respect of his health.”

Mr Appiah-Kubi is optimistic that once the court matter is resolved, Chairman Wontumi will be released by Monday, June 2.