Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has suggested that the ongoing protest by the minority and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the stringent bail conditions imposed on Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, could prompt the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to reconsider the GH₵50 million bail terms.
Speaking to the press outside EOCO’s headquarters, Kpebu underscored a fundamental principle.
He said “Chairman Wontumi should be granted bail. It’s a constitutional right.”
However, he was quick to highlight the crux of the issue, the bail conditions are exceptionally harsh.
“They are tough conditions. One thing is to grant bail, another is to meet these demanding terms,” he explained.
Kpebu views the NPP-led protest not merely as a political statement but as an informal appeal for EOCO to review the bail terms.
“When a judge grants bail but the conditions are impossible to fulfill, it’s natural to seek a review. This protest could be seen as an application for such a review,” he said
When asked why the legal team hasn’t pursued a formal variation of the bail conditions through the High Court, Kpebu responded with a proverb-like “There are a thousand ways to kill a cat.”
He also raised questions about whether the protest had the necessary police permits but emphasized the importance of peaceful demonstrations in strengthening Ghana’s democracy.
When pressed on the basis for describing the GH₵50 million bail as excessive, Kpebu called on EOCO to be transparent and disclose the facts underpinning the bail decision to prevent speculation.
“So then, EOCO too should come out with the facts when you don’t come out with the facts, you allow people to speculate,” he added.
Kpebu, who alongside others had previously reported Chairman Wontumi to the CID over illegal mining (galamsey) activities, expressed a desire to see the case proceed in court but opposed prolonged pre-trial detention, advocating instead for alternatives such as house arrest with electronic monitoring.
He remarked “See, I am looking ahead to tomorrow; I don’t want to get excited. Personally, Ken Ashegbe, Kwame Asiedu Sarpong, Edem Senanu, and I reported Chairman Wontumi to the CID headquarters over galamsey matters, so I want to see him in court, but I am not excited to see him in pre-trial detention. No, that’s not it.”
Chairman Wontumi has been in EOCO custody since May 27, after failing to meet the demanding bail conditions that include two reliable sureties and a GH₵50 million bond.
The charges relate to alleged illegal mining and suspected money laundering, with investigations reportedly touching on financial transactions involving the Ghana Export-Import (EXIM) Bank.
The protest, led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and other NPP officials, has escalated tensions, with calls to boycott parliamentary proceedings until EOCO reviews the bail conditions, which they deem discriminatory and excessive.
Source: www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
