Accra: A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communication team, Ellen Ama Daaku, has mounted a strong defense for Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, commonly known as Chairman Wontumi, asserting that his actions related to the Exim Bank issue do not constitute a crime. During a panel discussion on the GTV Breakfast Show, monitored by GhanaWeb, Daaku emphasized that Wontumi's request for financial support was akin to what any Ghanaian businessman might do, irrespective of political affiliation.
According to Ghana Web, Daaku insisted that Wontumi neither engaged in theft nor coerced anyone in the process. Instead, he merely sought a loan to support his business operations. She further challenged the Attorney General's narrative, which alleges that Wontumi obtained the loan through false representation. Daaku pointed out what she described as lapses in Exim Bank's internal systems, questioning the bank's role and the effectiveness of its legal department in the loan acquisition process.
Daaku argued that the scrutiny should extend beyond Wontumi's actions to include the processes within Exim Bank that facilitated the loan's approval. She maintained that Wontumi's attempt to extricate himself from the situation is justified, emphasizing that he legally pursued the loan without resorting to theft.
Meanwhile, Chairman Wontumi has initiated a plea bargain process with the Attorney General in the ongoing Exim Bank fraud case. He faces charges of defrauding by false pretences, forgery, money laundering, and causing financial loss to a public institution, with the alleged loss exceeding GHS30 million.