Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has strongly urged the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to grant self-recognisance bail to embattled Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

The call came as Afenyo-Markin led a group of Minority MPs to EOCO’s headquarters on Thursday to show solidarity with Wontumi, who has been in EOCO custody since May 27 over alleged financial irregularities involving EXIMBANK.

Speaking to the media during the visit, Afenyo-Markin criticised the circumstances of Wontumi’s arrest and described the bail conditions which is GHS50 million with two sureties as excessive and unjust.
“Wontumi must be freed now. He is not going to run away. He will make himself available. He should be admitted to self-recognisance bail,” he asserted. “That so-called GHS50 million bail justification is unreasonable and outrageous,” he stressed.

He further condemned the manner of Wontumi’s arrest, claiming it was more of a raid than a civil law enforcement procedure.
“That man was not invited. They used ‘Rambo style’ to arrest him, and you take him into custody,” he said.

Chairman Wontumi's arrest is part of an EOCO investigation into suspected financial misconduct tied to EXIMBANK.

While details of the case remain under wraps, the GHS50 million bail has sparked debate over fairness and proportionality in high-profile investigations.

Afenyo-Markin insisted that the law must be upheld, but stressed that fairness and due process cannot be sacrificed.