Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has described his recent detention by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) as a traumatic and life-threatening experience.

Wontumi was arrested on May 27, 2025, following an invitation by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over alleged offences, including fraud, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering.

Speaking during Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign stop in the Adansi Asokwa constituency on Tuesday, September 10, Wontumi recounted the physical and emotional toll of his time in custody.

“When I was arrested by EOCO, if you move your legs three times, that’s the width of the place where I was kept. If you look at where I slept, I nearly died,” he said.

He added that the experience extended beyond physical suffering, claiming he felt spiritually close to death.

“If someone is about to die, you would know; you would see your relatives who have already passed away. You would begin to sense their presence around you, which literally means you are about to join them,” he explained.

Drawing a dramatic comparison, Chairman Wontumi likened his ordeal to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, referencing Christ’s final words on the cross.

“I felt the presence of death around me in the place I was kept, just like when Jesus Christ shouted, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani’ during his crucifixion. That’s when I also shouted, ‘People of Ghana, arise! Ghana, arise! It is because of you that I am being treated this way,’” he added.

His comments come amid claims by several NPP members that the Mahama-led administration is targeting opposition figures with politically motivated investigations and arrests.