Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has initiated steps to negotiate a plea bargain with the state in the ongoing criminal case involving alleged fraud and financial loss to the Ghana Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank).
The Office of the Attorney-General informed the Accra High Court on June 11, 2026, that the first accused person in the case had formally requested to enter plea negotiations under Ghana’s criminal procedure laws.
According to court documents filed by the Attorney-General’s Department, the request was conveyed through Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, in a letter dated June 5, 2026. The notice was submitted in accordance with Section 162C(3) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30).
The filing, signed by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, officially notified the court that discussions aimed at reaching a possible settlement under the plea bargaining framework had commenced.
Chairman Wontumi is standing trial alongside Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, who is currently on the run, and Wontumi Farms Limited. The Attorney-General is prosecuting the case on behalf of the state.
Prosecutors allege that between 2018 and 2022, the accused persons fraudulently secured GH¢14.3 million from EXIM Bank through false representations using Wontumi Farms Limited.
The prosecution further claims that Chairman Wontumi submitted a forged receipt to support an additional GH¢4 million credit facility from the bank.
He also faces a money laundering charge based on allegations that he knowingly benefited from proceeds obtained through fraudulent means.
According to the charge sheet, the transactions caused financial loss exceeding GH¢30 million to EXIM Bank.
The court is expected to determine the next steps in the case as plea bargain discussions continue between the parties under the relevant legal provisions.
