Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and otherwise known as Chairman Wontumi, has begun formal steps toward a possible plea deal with the state in a case involving allegations that he caused a financial loss exceeding GH¢30 million to the Ghana Export-Import (Exim) Bank.
His legal representatives, led by Andy Appiah-Kubi, have filed documents requesting plea negotiations, which have since been served on the Attorney-General’s office.
The move comes as he and co-accused Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, a director of Wontumi Farms Limited, face multiple charges including defrauding by false pretence, forgery, money laundering, and intentionally causing financial loss to a public institution. Both men have pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors allege that the pair used false representations to secure GH¢14.3 million from Exim Bank. They further claim that Chairman Wontumi relied on forged documentation to obtain an additional GH¢4 million, and that portions of the funds were later laundered, contributing to an overall alleged loss surpassing GH¢30 million.
The state’s case outlines that in January 2018, Wontumi, acting as Managing Director of Wontumi Farms Limited, submitted an application to Exim Bank seeking roughly GH¢19 million in funding for an agricultural venture. The submission was supported by a board resolution said to have authorised the request and signed by Thomas Antwi-Boasiako as board chairman.
However, prosecutors argue that the resolution carries inconsistencies. It is dated January 23, 2018, yet references an earlier resolution supposedly passed on December 9, 2017, a date that predates the company’s incorporation and its authorisation to begin operations on December 14, 2017.
The application also claimed that 100,000 acres of land had been secured for the project and projected that the first phase alone would generate employment for approximately 38,000 people.
Based on these representations, Exim Bank approved a facility of GH¢18.7 million, structured as a combination of loan and grant intended for equipment procurement, working capital, and consultancy support. According to the prosecution, GH¢14.3 million was disbursed to Wontumi Farms Limited by March 2018.
Investigators further allege that in the same month, Chairman Wontumi submitted what was described as a receipt to justify an additional GH¢4 million payment for agricultural machinery. The bank, relying on that document, released further funds.
Prosecutors reportedly contend, however, that the document was not a legitimate receipt but a pro-forma invoice issued by KAS-SAMA Enterprise during preliminary inquiries about equipment. They also allege that the label “Pro-forma Invoice” had been altered and replaced with the word “Receipt.”
According to the prosecution, subsequent investigations found no evidence that any of the proposed agricultural activities ever took place. They maintain that no machinery was purchased, no farming operations were launched, and no workforce was engaged for the project.
The state further argues that the land said to have been acquired for the venture was neither owned nor secured as claimed. It also alleges that significant sums withdrawn from Wontumi Farms Limited accounts were diverted into personal use and unrelated business investments rather than being applied to the stated agricultural project.
