Wontumi Arrest: What kind of country are we in? – Afenyo-Markin fumes
Minority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo-Markin has strongly urged the ruling NDC government to rethink the tough bail conditions placed on NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi. The issue has stirred a lot of political controversy.
Chairman Wontumi is currently in custody and is facing what Afenyo-Markin describes as harsh bail conditions. According to him, Wontumi is being asked to provide titled property worth GHS50 million to secure his release—even though he is reportedly unwell.
Members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have started a series of protests over the matter. They believe this is a clear case of political persecution being carried out by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
As part of their protest, Afenyo-Markin, who is also the MP for Effutu and leader of the Minority Caucus, led his team to boycott Parliament. They later marched to the offices of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in Accra to show their displeasure.
Speaking to JoyNews
Speaking to JoyNews during the protest, Afenyo-Markin criticised how Chairman Wontumi was being handled by the authorities.
“In a Rambo-style, he (Wontumi) is arrested; you (EOCO) interrogate him, he makes himself available, and your next thing is that he should go and bring titled property worth GHS50 million,” Afenyo-Markin fumed during a short briefing. “What kind of country are we in? Have they looked at the Constitution? They should vary the bail terms. The man is unwell. He is in their custody, they know. So they should vary; Wontumi will not run anywhere.”
He also had a strong warning for the NDC, reminding them that power is not permanent.
“I’m telling our friends in the NDC, four years will soon come, and if they think what they are doing is right, they should watch it. Treat others the way you expect them to do unto you. Treat others the way you expect them to treat you.”
Afenyo-Markin accused the government
Afenyo-Markin accused the government of using harsh bail conditions as a political weapon to silence and punish their opponents. He warned that if the government continues with this path, it could come back to haunt them in the future.
Some legal experts have also weighed in on the matter. They say the bail conditions being asked for are too harsh and may go against the principles of fairness in the justice system.
However, government officials have defended the bail conditions. They argue that these kinds of terms are normal in high-profile cases, especially when they involve financial investigations.
Groups that promote transparency are calling on the authorities to follow due process and ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to be done.
On social media, the topic has sparked mixed reactions. Some people believe that holding public officials accountable is important and support the strict bail terms. Others think the NDC is being unfair and using state power to settle political scores.