The Accra High Court has been informed that Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is pursuing a plea bargain in the ongoing criminal case involving alleged fraud linked to the Ghana Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank).
In a filing dated June 11, 2026, the Office of the Attorney-General notified the court that the first accused had initiated steps toward a plea negotiation. The request, submitted by Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, was communicated to the Attorney-General in a letter dated June 5, 2026.
The notice, filed under Section 162C(3) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), lists Wontumi as the first accused, alongside Thomas Antwi-Boasiako—currently at large—and Wontumi Farms Limited. The Attorney-General is prosecuting the matter on behalf of the state.
The notification, signed by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, was submitted to the court registry for the attention of the presiding judge. Prosecutors allege that between 2018 and 2022, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako and Thomas Antwi-Boasiako fraudulently obtained GH¢14,302,000 from EXIM Bank through false pretences, using Wontumi Farms Limited as the vehicle for the transaction.
The charge sheet further states that Chairman Wontumi allegedly presented a forged receipt to EXIM Bank officials, which was used to support an additional GH¢4 million facility. He is also accused of knowingly benefiting from funds alleged to have been fraudulently obtained, forming the basis of a money laundering charge.
In addition, the prosecution claims the accused persons caused financial loss exceeding GH¢30 million to EXIM Bank through the transactions in question. The court is expected to take further steps as it considers the plea bargain notification and the parties proceed with negotiations under the relevant legal framework.
Source: Isaac Appiah-Kubi
