By Gifty Boateng
For some time now, the beleaguered Ashanti Regional chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been using ill-health as decoy or weapon to delay invitations to report himself to authorities.
TheNewRepublic which has been monitoring the politician, with keen interest, for a while, can easily count three of such occasions where Bernard Antwi-Boasiako alias Chairman Wontumi used this old trick.
He had stated sickness primary as reasons he is unable to attend to one invitation or the other.
Aside his case with the EOCO on Tuesday, earlier, he delayed his recent invitation by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and another involving him and the Manhyia Palace boasting he will stand up against Otumfuo Osei Tutu II because he has what it takes to do so.
In the current incident, the braggart was picked up by officials of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) on Tuesday May 27 for interrogation.
He was pounced on while on his way from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police administration where had visited after his first encounter with officers on Monday, resulted in agreement that he returns the following day.
He had gone to the Department with his lawyer Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, but was no longer in the hands of the police when the arrest was effected.
He spent a couple of hours with the interrogation, but later, he was granted bail however according to reports, he could not raise the said condition and so he was likely going to be detained until such a time that he can meet the condition.
Sensing danger, the gold miner who is also facing charges concerning illegal mining in his case against the Police, quickly feigned sickness and so he was made to go to the hospital for treatment.
News of his sudden sickness was confirmed by his lawyer in an interview with the media on Tuesday night. “My client has been taken to the hospital for medical treatment”, he said. “We have given our statement; they preferred some allegations against him, and he responded to them. We haven’t finished the interrogation, so we will come back to continue, hopefully tomorrow, if his condition improves. Otherwise, he will stay there until the doctors discharge him, and then we will come back to continue the interrogation”, he added.
The second incident was the CID invitation which was handed to him a while back. According to Appiah-Kubi, his client could not attend the meeting on the initial date on the letter because he was unwell.
He confirmed this in an interview with Joy FM last Friday night, after national security operatives tried to search his residence with a warrant. The former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Asante Akim North constituency revealed that, they had to reschedule that meeting to Monday May 27 because of the situation of his so-called health.
The last instance was in the case where was reported to have said during an NPP parliamentary vetting he reportedly said he will challenge Otumfuo if he disagrees with him. He was quoted to have said that he has built his own kingdom in Kumasi and that he is not afraid of anybody including the Asantehene.
“I have built my own kingdom, I have my own police and military, and I will speak my mind to Otumfuo if I disagree on an issue with him (Otumfuo)” Wontumi reportedly stated.
When his alleged boastful declaration was brought to the attention of the Manhyia Palace, he was summoned but quickly, he faked sickness and pictures of him in a hospital was released on social media.
The General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, led an NPP delegation to appeal for an extension due to the Chairman’s illness. The traditional leader denied their request insisting that he did not provide a medical report to validate his permission.
He finally met the Traditional Council on Monday, January 29, 2024. Even though he finally honoured the invitation with some executives of the NPP, it took a while for him to do so.
