Former Member of Parliament for New Edubiase, George Oduro, has disclosed that Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), refused both food and water during his five-day detention by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
In an interview on Movement TV on June 4, 2025, Oduro refuted social media rumours suggesting that Wontumi was faking a stroke or illness to stall legal proceedings. He clarified that Wontumi’s frail condition upon his release was the result of his voluntary refusal to eat or drink while in custody.
“Even when he was going to the washroom, I had to support him along with one other officer before he could walk. Honestly speaking, he was very weak because he had gone five days without food or water. He was genuinely weak,” Oduro stated.
He added, “If you’ve walked with him before—you’d know I’ve known him for the past ten years—he doesn’t eat just anything, and he doesn’t eat everywhere. Even within our group, he doesn’t accept food from everyone. The person who was supposed to bring him food was told he had lost his appetite.”
Oduro clarified that Wontumi was not suffering from any illness or stroke but was physically weakened due to lack of nourishment.
Chairman Wontumi was released by EOCO on Monday, June 2, 2025, after being arrested on multiple charges. His release came after meeting bail conditions with the assistance of Bryan Acheampong, the former Minister for Food and Agriculture and Member of Parliament for Abetifi, who stood as one of his sureties.
A motion to appeal the GH¢50 million bail condition was withdrawn by his legal team on Monday, June 2. The motion, initially filed on May 30 and scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, June 3, was retracted a day prior.
On Wednesday, May 28, two additional sureties were added to satisfy the bail conditions. His legal team, led by lawyer Andy Appiah-Kubi, confirmed that the full bail requirements were met by Friday, May 30. However, his release was delayed because the bail review application had been filed without his express authorization.
On Thursday, May 29, members of the minority party demonstrated at EOCO headquarters and staged a walkout from Parliament, demanding Wontumi’s immediate release. They argued that, given his public reputation and low flight risk, he should have been released on his own recognizance.
