Bernard Antwi Boasiako, alias Chairman Wontumi, the opposition New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, has been hospitalised, according to his legal counsel.
This occurred following his arrest and interrogation by state security personnel.
Lawyer and NPP Member of Parliament Andy Appiah-Kubi claimed to the media that Wontumi became ill during the interview process and was taken to a hospital for treatment after hours of legal and police proceedings.
“My client has been taken to the hospital for medical treatment,” he told me.
“We haven’t finished the interrogation, so we’ll return to continue — hopefully tomorrow, if his condition improves. Otherwise, he will stay there until the physicians release him.”
The unexpected change of events follows Chairman Wontumi’s detention under “intimidatory” conditions, according to NPP leaders.
According to party officials, Wontumi had first accepted a police invitation and was at the CID headquarters answering questions when he was abruptly taken away by heavily armed, masked officers and imprisoned for further investigation.
While the specifics of the allegations against him are unclear, Mr Appiah-Kubi stated that the police “preferred some allegations” against his client, to which he had already responded.
However, his failing condition caused the interrogation to be cut short.
In a related development, Mr Appiah-Kubi reported that a writ of summons from Exim Bank was served on Wontumi earlier in the day, giving a civil legal dimension to the ongoing drama.
“We have also received this afternoon a writ of summons from Exim Bank, and we are going to respond to the pleadings tomorrow,” the executive said.
“We are very hopeful that we’ll be able to mount a defence.”
He was intent on distinguishing between the civil and criminal aspects of the current case.
“This is one of a supposed criminal investigation, but I am confident that we will be able to put up a defence,” stated the attorney.
“We consider the Exim Bank issue a civil matter, and that’s how we will respond to it in court.”
The hospitalisation of Chairman Wontumi adds another layer of tension to a politically volatile scenario that has already elicited heated emotions inside the NPP.
Several party leaders, including National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye, have condemned the arrest, calling it politically motivated and reminiscent of the “dark days” of political intimidation.
As the party awaits more updates on Wontumi’s health and legal position, Mr Appiah-Kubi emphasised that the NPP will continue to participate in the process and will not be intimidated into silence.
“We are cooperating. “We believe in the rule of law,” he explained. The party says it will provide additional details as events unfold.
