Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka Chairman Wontumi
A High Court in Accra has granted the Attorney General (AG) and Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka Chairman Wontumi, two weeks to work out a plea bargain initiated by the embattled businessman who has been accused of causing GH¢30 million financial loss to a public body.
Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, yesterday pointed out the existence of a plea bargain request by Chairman Wontumi to exercise his right under Section162C(3) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30).
“We have also had a conversation this morning [yesterday] with defence counsel and we have agreed to take a short adjournment to start the negotiation,” he said.
He, therefore, prayed the court to allow them two weeks’ adjournment to update the court on the progress of the plea negotiation.
Andy Appiah-Kubi, Counsel for Chairman Wontumi, confirmed ongoing negotiation and the court, presided over by Justice Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Bassit, adjourned the case to July 2 to enable parties conclude negotiations.
Trial
Chairman Wontumi is facing trial for allegedly causing GH¢30 million financial loss to a public body in the course of a business transaction with Ghana Export-Import Bank (Ghana EXIM Bank).
Wontumi, who is already standing trial in two different courts over mining related offences, is accused of obtaining GH¢14,302,000 from the bank under false pretences.
He is further accused of using a forged receipt, knowing that the same is not genuine, to obtain about GH¢4,000,000 from the bank in 2018.
Charged alongside him are Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, who is on the run, and his company, Wontumi Farms Limited.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail by the court, presided over by Justice Halima Abdul El-Lawal Bassit on May 18, 2026.
Plea Bargain
His lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, initiated the plea negotiation by writing to the Attorney General in a letter dated June 5, 2026 in respect of the charges levelled against him.
A notification of commencement of plea negotiation has since been filed by the Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, in accordance with Section 162C(3) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), for the court’s attention as the Attorney General and the defence iron out the terms of the plea negotiation.
If the plea negotiation succeeds, Chairman Wontumi could see the reduction of the possible punishment he could face, while he would also be made to repay the money lost by the state, as well as pay compensation to the state.
AG’s Brief Fact
Court documents indicate that sometime in January 2018, Wontumi approached the Ghana EXIM Bank for a grant of GH¢19 million facility to embark on a farming venture.
Wontumi is said to have declared in the grant application that a parcel of land – 100,000 acres in size – had been secured for the project.
Accompanying the grant application letter was a letter titled ‘Board Resolution Letter’ and dated January 23, 2018, signed by Thomas Antwi-Boasiako stating that the grant application was authorised by the company’s board of directors through a resolution passed on December 9, 2017.
The prosecution alleges that the document predated the incorporation of the company by four clear days.
The brief fact notes that on January 16, 2018, the bank made a mixture of loan and grant facility offer of GH¢18,734,260. The money was to be spent on the purchase of agricultural plant and machinery, working capital and a grant for staff and labour cost, and consultancy fees.
The Attorney General alleges that the bank had disbursed a total of GH¢14,302,000 to Wontumi Farms Limited, but the accused persons did not undertake the proposed farming activity.
The documents further allege that in March 2018, Wontumi presented a receipt to the bank claiming they had purchased GH¢4 million worth of agricultural plant and machinery for the farm.
The brief fact further alleges that the said receipt was originally a pro-forma invoice issued by KAS-SAMA Enterprise to Wontumi when he made price inquiries which was altered and replaced with ‘Receipt’.
It added that Wontumi withdrew huge sums of the funds from his company’s bank accounts and spent the same for his personal use, including investing such sums in other business enterprises.
“All efforts by the Bank to recover the monies from the Accused Persons landed on rocks,” court documents added.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak