Court Gives Wontumi, A-G Until July 6 to Update on Plea Bargain Talks in GH¢30m EXIM Bank Case
Accra High Court adjourns proceedings as the Attorney-General and Chairman Wontumi's legal team pursue negotiations over a possible plea agreement in the alleged GH¢30 million EXIM Bank fraud case
- Court adjourns Wontumi's fraud case to July 6 for a plea bargain update
- Wontumi faces charges in an alleged GH¢30 million EXIM Bank fraud case
- The NPP chairman has pleaded not guilty to all charges
An Accra High Court has given the Attorney-General’s Office and lawyers for Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, until July 6, 2026, to update the court on the progress of plea bargain negotiations in the ongoing EXIM Bank fraud case.
According to prosecution documents, Chairman Wontumi is the sole shareholder and one of two directors of Wontumi Farms Limited, a company incorporated on December 14, 2017, to undertake farming, agricultural business and processing activities.
Prosecutors say the company applied to the Ghana Export-Import (EXIM) Bank in January 2018 for a GH¢19 million facility to finance an agricultural project. Investigators allege that Wontumi Farms Limited submitted documents claiming it had secured a 100,000-acre parcel of land for the venture.
The prosecution further contends that key supporting documents, including a board resolution and project proposal attached to the application, were dated before the company was officially incorporated.
The state also alleges 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. Chairman Wontumi is additionally accused of presenting a forged receipt to support an application for an extra GH¢4 million facility.
According to prosecutors, substantial portions of the funds were diverted into personal use and unrelated business ventures, while attempts by the bank to recover the money proved unsuccessful. The alleged financial loss arising from all the charges exceeds GH¢30 million.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) commenced investigations into the matter in March 2025. Chairman Wontumi was later arrested, cautioned and formally charged on May 14, 2026.
The Attorney-General’s Office informed the court that the NPP chairman had initiated steps towards a plea agreement. The disclosure was made in a filing presented on June 11, 2026, under Section 162C(3) of Act 30, following a request by his lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, in a letter dated June 5, 2026.
Under Section 162C of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) (Amendment) Act, 2022 (Act 1079), a plea bargain allows an accused person to plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for a reduced sentence, subject to court approval after considering factors such as the strength of the evidence, recovery of state funds and the public interest.
Chairman Wontumi has pleaded not guilty to four charges — defrauding by false pretences, uttering forged documents, money laundering and intentionally causing financial loss to a public body.
He is standing trial alongside Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, who remains at large and is being sought by investigators, as well as Wontumi Farms Limited.
The case has been adjourned to July 6, 2026, when both the prosecution and defence are expected to brief the court on whether a plea agreement has been reached or whether the trial will proceed.
