High Court grants AG, Wontumi permission to begin plea negotiation in GHC 30 million Exim bank loan case

Plea discussions have been opened in the GH¢30 million Exim Bank loan case involving Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

The High Court in Accra granted time for the Attorney-General and lawyers for Chairman Wontumi to begin negotiations after the prosecution formally notified the court of the process.

The case is before Justice Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit.

It has been adjourned to July 6, 2026, for the parties to update the court on the outcome or progress of the negotiations.

Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai told the court that the Attorney-General had filed a notice of commencement of plea negotiations on June 11, 2026.

He said the notice was filed under section 162C(3) of the Criminal and Other Offences Procedure Act.

According to him, Chairman Wontumi had requested to take advantage of the plea bargaining procedure provided under the law.

Dr Srem-Sai said the prosecution and defence counsel had discussed the matter and agreed that a short adjournment was necessary to allow the negotiations to begin.

Defence counsel Andy Appiah-Kubi confirmed the prosecution’s position.

The court then granted the request.

Chairman Wontumi is standing trial with Wontumi Farms Limited and Thomas Antwi-Boasiako.

Thomas Antwi-Boasiako is currently at large.

The charges arise from an Exim Bank facility allegedly obtained for a farming project.

Chairman Wontumi is personally facing charges of defrauding by false pretence, uttering a forged document and money laundering.

Together with the other accused persons, he is also charged with intentionally causing financial loss to a public body.

The prosecution alleges that Wontumi Farms Limited applied for financial support from Exim Bank in 2018 for a proposed farming venture.

According to the State, the company represented that it had secured 100,000 acres of land for the project.

Prosecutors say Exim Bank later disbursed GH¢14.3 million out of an approved facility of about GH¢18.7 million.

The funds were allegedly meant for agricultural machinery, working capital, labour and consultancy expenses.

The State claims the proposed farming activity was not carried out.

It further alleges that no agricultural machinery was purchased, no workers were employed for the project, and the land said to have been secured was not available for the stated purpose.

Investigators also allege that one of the documents submitted in support of the facility referred to a board resolution said to have been passed before Wontumi Farms Limited was incorporated.

The prosecution further claims that a document later presented as a receipt for the purchase of agricultural machinery worth GH¢4 million was originally a pro-forma invoice which had allegedly been altered.

The State says portions of the funds were withdrawn from the company’s accounts and used for personal and other business purposes.

Chairman Wontumi was arrested, cautioned and charged in May 2026 after investigations by the Attorney-General’s office and the Economic and Organised Crime Office.

The plea negotiation process may lead to an agreement on how the case will be resolved.

Any agreement reached will still be subject to the approval of the court.