Plea bargain negotiations in the criminal case involving New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and two others have yet to produce an agreement, Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Justice Srem-Sai has confirmed.
In a Facebook post, Justice Srem-Sai disclosed that the prosecution and the accused persons have not reached a plea agreement as the statutory 30-day period for concluding negotiations nears its end.
“The statutory 30-day period for concluding the plea bargain in The Republic v Bernard Antwi-Boasiako & 2 Others (the EXIM Bank trial) will end next week. I can confirm that we have not reached a plea agreement yet,” he wrote.
Negotiations Continue
The update comes after the High Court in Accra adjourned the case to July 27 to allow both parties additional time to continue plea bargain discussions.
Chairman Wontumi and his co-accused are standing trial over allegations relating to a GH¢14 million loan facility obtained from the Ghana Export-Import (EXIM) Bank for a farming project.
Fraud and Money Laundering Charges
According to the prosecution, between 2018 and 2022, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako and Thomas Antwi-Boasiako allegedly secured approximately GH¢14.3 million from EXIM Bank through Wontumi Farms Limited by making false representations.
The prosecution further alleges that the accused submitted a forged receipt in support of an application for an additional GH¢4 million loan facility and benefited from funds allegedly obtained through fraudulent means.
The accused persons face charges including obtaining money by false pretences and money laundering, with prosecutors claiming the transactions caused financial losses exceeding GH¢30 million to EXIM Bank.
The case is expected to return to court on July 27, when the parties are expected to update the court on the outcome of the plea bargain negotiations.
