Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) better known as Chairman Wontumi, has officially asked the Attorney-General for a plea deal in his ongoing criminal trial over an alleged GH¢14.3 million loan fraud at the Ghana Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank).
The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, filed a Notification of Commencement of Plea Negotiation at the Accra High Court on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The document, under Docket No. CR/0529/2026, shows that Wontumi's lawyer, Mr. Andy Appiah-Kubi, wrote to the AG on June 5, 2026, requesting the talks. The notification was filed under Section 162C(3) of Act 30, which governs plea negotiation procedures in Ghana.
Wontumi is the first accused in the case. Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, who's still at large, is the second accused, and Wontumi Farms Limited is the third accused. They face four criminal charges: defrauding by false pretense, authoring a forged document, money laundering, and intentionally causing financial loss to a public institution.
According to the charge sheet dated May 15, 2026, the accused persons allegedly secured about GH¢14.3 million from Exim Bank in 2018 under the guise of establishing a large-scale farming project. Prosecutors say Wontumi Farms Limited applied for a GH¢19 million loan facility, presenting documents that claimed the company had secured a 100,000-acre parcel of land for the agricultural venture.
The prosecution alleges that one of the documents presented as a board resolution letter was dated January 23, 2018, but referred to a resolution supposedly passed on December 9, 2017 — four days before the company was officially incorporated on December 14, 2017. Although about GH¢14.3 million was disbursed for the project, no farming activities were carried out, no machinery was purchased, and no workers were employed. A document presented as proof of purchase for farming equipment was also allegedly falsified.
Count Four further alleges that Wontumi, Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, and Wontumi Farms Limited intentionally caused financial loss to Exim Bank exceeding GH¢30 million in the course of the transaction. Substantial portions of the money were allegedly diverted into personal use and unrelated business investments.
Chairman Wontumi pleaded not guilty to all four charges when he appeared before the court on May 18, 2026. The matter had been adjourned to June 18, 2026, for a Case Management Conference. With the plea negotiation request now filed, the next court date could see developments in the talks.
This isn't Wontumi's only active criminal matter. He, Akonta Mining Limited, and company director Kwame Antwi are also before the Accra High Court in a separate trial over alleged illegal mining activities at Samreboi. Judgment in that case is scheduled for July 3, 2026.
The Attorney-General's office hasn't issued any public statement beyond the court notification. All eyes will be on the June 18 proceedings to see whether the plea negotiation moves forward or the case continues to trial.