Lawyer for embattled Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, has called out Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai for what he describes as a trial by media.
Andy Appiah-Kubi says the Deputy AG has crossed a line by making public pronouncements about his client’s legal troubles instead of pursuing formal charges through the courts.
“I wonder why he is out there saying this. It should be on the charge sheet,” Appiah-Kubi told Movement TV. “If you bring someone to the public space to prosecute him… this isn’t the right thing to do.”
His reaction follows a widely circulated social media update from Justice Srem-Sai, who confirmed that Chairman Wontumi is under active criminal investigation by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for offences including fraud, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering.
“Suspect BERNARD ANTWI BOASIAKO, a.k.a. Chairman Wontumi, is under investigation for various criminal offences,” the Deputy AG wrote. He further revealed that the investigation includes international dimensions and is tied to a “larger organised crime scheme” involving collaboration with foreign law enforcement bodies.
But Appiah-Kubi isn’t impressed.
“As Deputy Attorney General, he is supposed to protect the rights of citizens,” the lawyer argued. “Even if he has the intelligence, he has to put it on the charge sheet and give him the space to respond before it comes to public space.”
Justice Srem-Sai had earlier explained that EOCO’s probe is not just criminal in scope but also targets assets suspected to be proceeds of crime. “The criminal investigation is running concurrently with asset recovery processes – to prevent further dissipation of what law enforcement agencies strongly suspect to be proceeds of crime,” he stated.
Appiah-Kubi, however, believes such statements undermine due process and the presumption of innocence.
“He should stop undermining the human rights of Chairman Wontumi,” he said, warning against what he sees as political undertones in the handling of the case.
