The Accra High Court has been notified 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 criminal case over alleged fraud involving the Ghana Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank).
The Office of the Attorney-General informed the court on June 11, 2026, that Wontumi, the first accused in the case, had formally initiated plea negotiations through his legal team.
According to a notice filed by the Prosecutions Division of the Attorney-General’s Department, Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, submitted a request for plea discussions in a letter dated June 5, 2026. The filing was made under Section 162C(3) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30).
Wontumi is standing trial alongside Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, who is currently on the run, and Wontumi Farms Limited. The state alleges that between 2018 and 2022, the accused fraudulently secured GH¢14.3 million from EXIM Bank through false representations.
Prosecutors further claim that Wontumi presented a forged receipt to bank officials to facilitate the approval of an additional GH¢4 million facility. He also faces a money laundering charge for allegedly benefiting from funds suspected to have been obtained through fraudulent means.
The prosecution contends that the transactions resulted in financial losses exceeding GH¢30 million to EXIM Bank.
The plea bargain notification, signed by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, has been submitted to the court as parties prepare to engage in negotiations under Ghana’s plea bargaining framework.
