Chairman Wontumi has been rushed to the hospital

Bernard Antwi Biasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Partriotic Party (NPP), was rushed to the hospital on the Tuesday, 27th May,2025 after falling ill while being interrogated by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in Accra.

The condition was confirmed by his lawyer and former Member of Parliament for Asante-Akim North, Andy Appiah Kubi, who disclosed the information to journalists late Tuesday evening.He, however, refused to provide the name or location of the medical facility where his client was receiving treatment.

“I know where he is, but I am not going to disclose the hospital. But all that I can say is that my client has been taken to the hospital for medical treatment.”We haven’t finished with the interrogation, so we will come back to continue hopefully [Wednesday] if his condition improves. Otherwise, he will stay there until the doctors discharge him, then we come back to continue the interrogation,” Appiah Kubi explained.

Regarding the ongoing legal proceedings, he mentioned that the interrogation of Chairman Wontumi has not been completed. We have given our statements.

Chairman Wontumi was invited earlier in the day by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to assist with ongoing investigations linked to alleged illegal mining activities. He had previously been cautioned over accusations of mining without a license, polluting water bodies, and encroaching on forest reserves.

• However, after honouring the CID’s invitation, he was subsequently picked up by EOCO officials and transported to their offices for further questioning, reportedly on related issues.The arrest triggered immediate tension, with scores of NPP supporters and party executives storming the EOCO premises in protest, demanding his release. The chaotic scenes prompted the deployment of military personnel to reinforce security at the facility.Several NPP figures, including party National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye and former Greater Accra Regional Minister Titus Glover, accused the government and EOCO of engaging in politically motivated actions aimed at intimidating opposition figures.

This made Wontumi fell ill and was rushed to the hospital. They made some allegations against him, and he responded to them.Additionally, Appiah-Kubi addressed a recent writ of summons filed by Exim Bank against Chairman Wontumi. “Nevertheless, we have also received a writ of summons from Exim Bank, and we are going to respond to the pleadings on Wednesday. I am very hopeful that we will be able to mount a defence of the writ,” he said.