Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu believes the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) may be investigating Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi for potential money laundering linked to alleged illegal mining activities.

Speaking on Joy FM’s News Night on Tuesday, May 27, Mr. Kpebu said EOCO’s interest in the high-profile regional chairman is not surprising, given the agency’s core mandate to probe financial crimes, including money laundering.
“This is to be expected because EOCO deals with issues of money laundering. Some of the activities Wontumi undertook - you undertake illegal mining and get money, that’s a crime you have committed," he said.

He explained that illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, could serve as the “predicate offence” which is a criminal act that forms the basis for a money laundering charge.

Mr. Kpebu pointed to publicly known allegations of Wontumi’s involvement in galamsey as sufficient grounds for EOCO to pursue further investigation.
"I’m not surprised…This invitation by EOCO, for me, we can use the publicly available knowledge, that’s the illegal mining he did, the proceeds that he got from that, can be used to investigate him for money laundering," he said.

Chairman Wontumi was re-arrested on Tuesday, May 27, shortly after leaving the CID headquarters in Accra.

He had reported there as part of bail conditions related to an earlier case, but was taken into custody again for further questioning.