Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has initiated efforts to negotiate a plea agreement with the Office of the Attorney General in connection with criminal charges arising from an alleged loan fraud scheme involving the Ghana Export Import Bank (GEXIM).
Court documents filed before the High Court in Accra indicate that the first accused person, through his legal counsel, has formally requested the commencement of plea negotiations under Ghana’s criminal procedure laws.
The latest development introduces a new dimension to a high profile case in which prosecutors allege that the actions of Chairman Wontumi and associated parties resulted in financial losses exceeding GH¢30 million in principal and related liabilities.
According to the notification submitted to the court, the request for plea negotiations was initiated through a letter dated June 5, 2026, from the legal representatives of the accused to the Attorney General.
“We hereby notify the honourable Court that the 1st Accused Person herein has, through his counsel, Mr Andy Appiah Kubi, Esq., in a letter dated June 5, 2026, to the Honourable Attorney General, made a request to initiate a plea negotiation in respect of the charges in this trial”.
Dr Justice Sre Sai, Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice
The notification, dated June 11, 2026, was signed by Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem Sai.
Charges Before the High Court
Chairman Wontumi is standing trial alongside Thomas Antwi Boasiako, who has been described by prosecutors as being at large, and Wontumi Farms Limited.
The accused persons face several charges, including defrauding by false pretences, causing financial loss to a public body, money laundering, and authoring a forged document.
The case stems from a loan facility allegedly secured by Wontumi Farms Limited between 2018 and 2022 to support an agricultural venture.
Prosecutors contend that false representations were made during the loan application process, leading to the approval and subsequent disbursement of millions of cedis from GEXIM Bank.
Chairman Wontumi has consistently denied wrongdoing and previously entered a plea of not guilty to all charges when he first appeared before the court.
Allegations Surrounding the Loan Facility
According to the prosecution’s case, Wontumi Farms Limited applied for a loan facility valued at approximately GH¢19 million in 2018 to establish a large scale farming operation.
Investigators allege that the application indicated that the company had secured access to nearly 100,000 acres of land for the proposed agricultural project.
However, subsequent investigations reportedly established that the land referenced in the application was not owned by the company. Despite these concerns, prosecutors say GEXIM Bank disbursed approximately GH¢14.3 million to support the venture.
The prosecution further alleges that investigations conducted by the Economic and Organised Crime Office revealed no evidence of the large scale agricultural activities described in the loan proposal.
According to the state’s account, investigators found no operational farming projects, no workforce engaged in the enterprise, and no evidence of the acquisition of modern farming machinery.
Instead, prosecutors claim that obsolete tractors dating back several decades were among the limited equipment identified during investigations.
Claims of Forgery and Fund Diversion
The prosecution also alleges that a document used to secure an additional disbursement of GH¢4 million had been altered. According to the state’s case, a document presented as proof of payment was, in fact, a modified pro forma invoice originating from KAS SAMA Enterprise.
Investigators reportedly interviewed the owner of the business, who indicated that no payment had been received in relation to the transaction cited in the document.
Beyond the allegations concerning documentation, prosecutors further contend that portions of the funds obtained through the facility were diverted for purposes unrelated to the approved agricultural project.
The state maintains that some of the money was used to finance personal expenses and investments in businesses outside the scope of the original loan agreement. These allegations form a central part of the prosecution’s case against the accused persons.
What a Plea Bargain Could Mean
The decision to pursue plea negotiations does not amount to an admission of guilt. Under Ghanaian law, plea bargaining provides an avenue through which accused persons and prosecutors may seek to resolve criminal proceedings through mutually agreed terms, subject to judicial approval.
Such agreements may involve restitution arrangements, revised charges, or other negotiated outcomes depending on the circumstances of each case. Reports indicate that the defence team has expressed willingness to engage the Attorney General’s office in discussions that could potentially facilitate the return of the disputed funds.
However, the specific terms being proposed by the defence have not been publicly disclosed. The Attorney General’s office has equally not announced whether it intends to accept or reject the request for negotiations.
Case Returns to Court
The criminal proceedings remain active before the High Court. Following Chairman Wontumi’s earlier arraignment and grant of bail, the court adjourned the matter to June 18, 2026, for a Case Management Conference.
The upcoming hearing is expected to provide clarity on the progress of the plea negotiation process and determine the next steps in the prosecution. Given the prominence of the accused and the substantial sums involved, the case continues to attract significant public attention.
Its outcome could have broader implications for public accountability, financial governance, and the application of plea bargaining provisions within Ghana’s criminal justice system.
For now, attention remains focused on whether negotiations between the defence and the Attorney General’s office will yield an agreement or whether the matter will proceed to a full trial before the High Court.
