Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has pleaded not guilty to four charges bordering on fraud involving the Ghana Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank).
Wontumi appeared before the High Court in Accra on Monday, May 18, 2028, alongside Wontumi Farms Limited, which he represents. The second accused person, Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, is said to be at large.
The Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman denied all four charges — defrauding by false pretences, authoring a forged document, money laundering, and intentionally causing financial loss to a public body.
According to the charge sheet filed by the Attorney-General’s Department, prosecutors allege that between 2018 and 2022, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako and Thomas Antwi-Boasiako obtained GH¢14,302,000 from EXIM Bank by false pretences.
The prosecution further claims that Chairman Wontumi used a forged receipt, knowing it to be fake, to secure an additional GH¢4 million from the bank. The receipt was allegedly presented to EXIM Bank officials as proof of payment for the transaction.
On the money laundering charge, prosecutors allege that Wontumi took possession of part of the GH¢14.302 million paid to Wontumi Farms Limited, despite knowing the funds were proceeds of crime.
The accused persons, together with Wontumi Farms Limited, are also accused of intentionally causing financial loss exceeding GH¢30 million to EXIM Bank.
Counsel for the accused, Andy Appiah-Kubi, prayed the court to maintain the bail conditions previously granted by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). He argued that his client is a public figure, a businessman, and a politician with a fixed place of abode who has fully cooperated with investigations and honoured all invitations.