Court allows plea bargain talks in GH¢30 million Ghana EXIM Bank fraud case

The High Court in Accra has granted the Attorney-General and Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), permission to negotiate a plea bargain. This agreement is in connection with an alleged GH¢30 million fraud case involving the Ghana Export-Import (EXIM) Bank. Justice Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit adjourned the case to July 6, 2026, to allow both parties sufficient time for negotiations. Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai informed the court that the Attorney-General's office filed a notice of commencement of plea bargaining on June 11, 2026, and that both sides agreed to the adjournment. Lawyers for Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, approached the Attorney-General on June 5, seeking a plea bargain under the relevant constitutional and legal provisions. This process allows an accused, presumed innocent until proven guilty, to potentially avoid a full trial and a harsher sentence if convicted. If the negotiations conclude successfully, Antwi-Boasiako may be required to refund the alleged GH¢30 million obtained from EXIM Bank, along with interest. The court could then impose a non-custodial sentence, a fine, or a reduced custodial sentence, depending on the agreed terms and court approval. Antwi-Boasiako, along with a second accused currently at large and Wontumi Farms Limited, faces charges of defrauding by false pretenses, money laundering, and uttering forged documents. The prosecution alleges the funds were obtained under the pretext of investing in a farming project, but investigations suggest the project never materialized and no agricultural machinery was purchased.

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The Attorney-General had filed a notice of commencement of plea bargaining on June 11, 2026, and that both parties had agreed to a short adjournment to begin negotiations.