The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako—widely known as Chairman Wontumi—has been served a writ of summons by Exim Bank, adding a new civil dimension to his growing legal troubles. The summons comes in the midst of an ongoing investigation by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, confirmed the development during a media interview on Tuesday night, May 27, 2025. According to Appiah-Kubi, the writ was received earlier that afternoon while Wontumi was undergoing an intensive interrogation at EOCO.

“We have received a writ of summons from Exim Bank this afternoon, and we will respond to the pleadings tomorrow,” Appiah-Kubi said. “I am very hopeful that we will be able to mount a defense.”

Details surrounding the EOCO investigation remain limited, though it is understood that the questioning relates to Wontumi’s business activities. The interrogation reportedly took a toll on the NPP chairman’s health, prompting his immediate transfer to a hospital for medical care.

“My client has been taken to the hospital for medical treatment,” Appiah-Kubi stated. “We haven’t completed the interrogation. If his condition improves, we will return to continue, hopefully tomorrow. Otherwise, he’ll remain under medical care until discharged.”

This development follows a separate incident on Monday, May 26, when Wontumi was questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over alleged involvement in illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey. He denied the accusations and presented his mining license as proof of lawful operations. He was later granted bail with two sureties.

The escalating legal drama has sparked public unrest among NPP supporters. On Tuesday, protests erupted outside EOCO’s Accra office during Wontumi’s interrogation, leading to violent clashes with security forces. In the chaos, a JoyNews reporter, Latif Iddrisu, was assaulted, and two police vehicles were reportedly vandalized.

As tensions mounted, military personnel were deployed to the EOCO premises to restore order.

Chairman Wontumi’s legal team has indicated they will continue to cooperate with authorities as the investigations and legal proceedings unfold.