Godfred Yeboah Dame and Chairman Wontumi after meeting with the CID yesterday
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, has been granted bail after reporting to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service in Accra on Monday, May 26, 2025.
He was invited to assist with ongoing investigations into allegations related to illegal mining activities.
Chairman Wontumi arrived at the CID Headquarters at midday, accompanied by a team of lawyers led by former Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame.
According to a police statement signed by Superintendent Joseph Benefo Darkwah, Head of the Public Affairs Unit at the CID, the NPP regional chairman was cautioned over alleged involvement in unauthorised mining operations, pollution of water bodies, and entering a forest reserve without permission.
The police confirmed that Mr. Antwi-Boasiako cooperated fully with investigators, provided his statement, and was subsequently granted bail.
He is expected to return to the CID at 3 p.m. today, Tuesday, May 27, as investigations continue. The police assured that further developments would be communicated to the public in due course.
Sources familiar with the interrogation disclosed that Chairman Wontumi denied all allegations levelled against him. He reportedly submitted his mining licenses for verification, maintaining that his operations are entirely legal and regulated.
On the claim that he had entered a forest reserve, he is said to have challenged investigators to present any evidence of his presence or that of his company’s equipment in the area. No such evidence was shown during the session, the sources noted.
Following his release, Chairman Wontumi addressed the media and acknowledged the nature of the allegations. He stated that although he was accused of engaging in illegal mining and operating in a forest reserve, he provided relevant documents, including his lease license, to prove that his activities were within legal limits.
He added that in previous years, he had applied to operate in a forest reserve but was denied permission by both the Forestry Commission and the Minerals Commission, reinforcing his point that any current operations in such areas are not connected to him.
Chairman Wontumi also responded to allegations concerning a GH¢50 million payment made by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to his company, Hallmark Civil Engineering.
He explained that contractors typically fund projects up front, with payments made after evaluations by engineers from the Ghana Highways Authority and COCOBOD.
He noted that his contract with COCOBOD stipulated payment after 28 days, yet it took nearly three years before he was reimbursed, insisting the state agency still owed him.
Meanwhile, former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame has confirmed that he is now leading Wontumi’s legal team, taking over from the initial lawyer, ex-Member of Parliament (MP) Andy Appiah-Kubi, who was present earlier at the CID to manage preliminary formalities.
Chairman Wontumi’s legal troubles have generated significant public interest, following a dramatic and controversial incident involving heavily armed, masked security operatives at his residence last Friday.
The incident, which unfolded at Wontumi’s Daban residence in Kumasi, has sparked widespread political uproar, with several members of the NPP accusing the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and President John Mahama of using state security for political persecution.
The security operatives, made up of personnel from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and the Ghana Police Service, reportedly stormed Wontumi’s home in what witnesses described as a Rambo-style operation, creating panic among residents and attracting large crowds, including NPP supporters.
According to eyewitness accounts, the security personnel attempted to apprehend Wontumi as he arrived at his home in a vehicle.
However, the NPP Chairman resisted the arrest, demanding that the officers produce a valid arrest warrant. When they failed to do so, he entered his house and locked the gates, effectively shutting the operatives out.
His next appearance at the CID is expected to shed further light on the allegations and his defence.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke
The post Wontumi Granted Bail Over Galamsey Charges appeared first on DailyGuide Network.
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