By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi / Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
13 OCTOBER 2026
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has pleaded not guilty to five criminal charges in the case involving an alleged GH¢30 million financial loss connected to a loan facility from the Ghana Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank).
Wontumi entered his plea before the Accra High Court on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, following the filing of an amended charge sheet by the prosecution.
The court subsequently adjourned the case to Tuesday, October 27, for a case management conference. The prosecution has also been given 14 days to file the relevant disclosures ahead of the next stage of proceedings.
The latest development follows the collapse of plea-bargaining negotiations between Wontumi’s defence team and the state. His lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, had indicated that the proposed terms were not in his client’s best interest, while also questioning whether the dispute should be pursued as a criminal case rather than a civil debt matter.
Five charges against Chairman Wontumi
The amended charge sheet contains five counts relating to the alleged procurement of the Exim Bank loan and the handling of documents and funds associated with the facility.
The charges include:
- Defrauding by false pretences.
- Two counts of uttering forged documents.
- Money laundering.
- Intentionally causing financial loss to a public body.
The prosecution alleges that the accused persons engaged in conduct that resulted in financial loss to Exim Bank, with the amount involved estimated at approximately GH¢30 million.
Wontumi has denied the charges. His plea of not guilty means the prosecution must establish its case through the criminal justice process. The allegations have not been proven merely because charges have been filed.
What is the Exim Bank loan case about?
The case concerns a loan facility obtained in 2018 to support a proposed farming project involving Wontumi Farms Limited.
According to the prosecution’s allegations reported by Ghanaian media, the bank approved a facility of more than GH¢18 million, from which approximately GH¢14.3 million was disbursed.
Prosecutors allege that documents presented in connection with the loan were forged or altered and that representations made to secure the financing were false. The state also alleges that the proposed farming activities and purchases of agricultural machinery did not take place as represented.
The prosecution further alleges that funds from the company’s bank accounts were withdrawn and used for purposes other than those intended under the facility.
These claims form part of the state’s case and remain subject to examination in court. The defense disputes the criminal characterization of the matter.
Atta Akyea questions the criminalization of the debt
Wontumi’s legal team has challenged the decision to prosecute the loan dispute as a criminal matter.
In a separate suit filed at the High Court, Wontumi and Wontumi Farms have asked the court to declare that the dispute with Exim Bank is essentially civil in nature.
The plaintiffs argue that the bank should account for the outstanding loan balance and pursue recovery through the loan agreement, collateral security, personal guarantee and insurance arrangements they say were connected to the facility.
Their position is that the loan was legitimately obtained for a farming project that failed, and that the outstanding debt should be resolved through civil proceedings.
However, the state has brought criminal charges alleging offences beyond the simple non-payment of a loan. Whether those charges are legally established is a matter for the criminal proceedings.
The civil claim and the criminal case raise related but distinct legal questions. A claim that a debt should be recovered through civil proceedings does not, by itself, determine whether the alleged conduct also meets the legal requirements of a criminal offence.
Plea-bargaining talks collapse
Before Tuesday’s proceedings, Wontumi’s legal team and the prosecution had engaged in negotiations aimed at resolving the criminal case through a possible plea bargain.
The discussions did not produce an agreement, prompting the state to refile the charges in September 2026.
A plea bargain is a negotiated arrangement between the prosecution and an accused person, subject to applicable legal requirements and court oversight. Depending on the circumstances, such an arrangement may involve an admission to an offence, a change in charges or an agreed sentencing position.
Atta Akyea’s objection to the proposed terms signalled that the defense was unwilling to accept the agreement under discussion. The case has consequently moved forward through the court process.
Wontumi’s not-guilty plea on October 13 marks an important procedural step, but it does not determine the final outcome of the case.
Wontumi remains in prison over a separate conviction
Wontumi is also serving a 20-year prison sentence imposed in a separate illegal-mining-related case. Reporting on Tuesday’s proceedings indicated that he was returned to Nsawam Maximum Security Prison after appearing in court for the Exim Bank matter.
The prison sentence relates to a different case and should not be confused with the allegations being heard in the Exim Bank proceedings.
The outcome of the loan case will depend on the evidence and legal arguments presented in that matter.
What happens next?
The case is scheduled to return to the Accra High Court on October 27, 2026, for a case management conference.
The prosecution is expected to file its disclosures within the 14-day period ordered by the court. These materials are part of the process through which the defense receives information relevant to the prosecution’s case.
The next stage will help determine how the matter proceeds towards trial and what further directions the court may issue.
For now, Wontumi has denied all five charges. The prosecution will have to prove its allegations, while the defense will have the opportunity to challenge the evidence and advance its legal arguments.
The proceedings are being closely watched because they involve the use of public financial resources, the recovery of a substantial bank facility and the legal distinction between civil debt recovery and criminal liability.
The next major development is expected when the case returns to court on October 27. Until the court reaches a determination, the charges against Wontumi remain allegations, and his plea of not guilty must be respected.
