Accra: The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, commonly known as Wontumi, has appeared before the Accra High Court for the third time concerning an alleged loan fraud associated with his farming company. Wontumi is facing several charges, including fraud by false pretences, causing financial loss to a public body, money laundering, and authoring a forged document.
According to Ghana Web, the charges are linked to the alleged fraudulent acquisition of a GHS14.3 million loan from the Ghana Export-Import Bank, spanning the years between 2018 and 2022. During the court proceedings, Wontumi and his company, Wontumi Farms Ltd, entered a plea of “not guilty” to all charges.
Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai informed the court that Wontumi allegedly used a forged receipt to fraudulently obtain an additional GHS4 million from the bank, fully aware of its lack of authenticity. Meanwhile, Wontumi’s lead counsel, Andy Appiah Kubi, requested the court to uphold the existing bail conditions set by the Economic and Organised Crime Office, emphasizing his client’s cooperation and compliance with previous summons.
Appiah Kubi highlighted, ‘Wontumi is a politician of repute and has complied with the previous bail terms.’ Dr Srem-Sai did not challenge the bail request, leading to presiding judge Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Basit granting the plea and permitting Wontumi to continue under the current bail terms.
The court has instructed the prosecution to submit disclosures in preparation for the upcoming Case Management Conference. The case has been scheduled for a subsequent hearing on June 18, 2026.