The criminal prosecution involving Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, has taken a significant turn after the Accra High Court was informed that the politician is seeking a plea bargain arrangement with the state.
The Office of the Attorney-General formally notified the court on June 11, 2026, that the first accused person in the case had initiated a plea negotiation process under Ghana’s criminal justice framework.
According to court documents, the request was conveyed through Wontumi’s legal counsel, Andy Appiah-Kubi, in a letter addressed to the Attorney-General on June 5, 2026.
The notice, filed pursuant to Section 162C(3) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), was signed by Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem-Sai and submitted to the court registry for the attention of the presiding judge.
The case before the High Court names Bernard Antwi-Boasiako as the first accused person alongside his brother, Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, who is reportedly at large, and Wontumi Farms Limited.
Prosecutors allege that between 2018 and 2022, the accused persons fraudulently obtained GH¢14,302,000 from the Ghana Export-Import Bank through false pretences using Wontumi Farms Limited.
The prosecution further contends that Chairman Wontumi submitted a forged receipt to EXIM Bank officials, which allegedly facilitated the acquisition of an additional GH¢4 million credit facility, a charge he has denied
A plea bargain does not amount to an admission of guilt and remains subject to negotiations between the accused person and the prosecution, as well as approval by the court. The High Court is expected to take further steps as the parties engage under the legal procedures governing plea agreements. The outcome of the negotiations could significantly influence the direction of one of the most closely watched financial crime prosecutions currently before the courts.
