NPP's Ashanti Regional Chairman, Wontumi, seeks plea bargain in Exim Bank fraud case
via GhanaWeb6 min read
Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party NPP, has requested a plea bargain in his ongoing criminal trial related to the Exim Bank fraud case. The court has granted this request, giving the state and Wontumi until July 18, 2026, to reach an agreement. Wontumi, along with Thomas Antwi-Boasiako and Wontumi Farms Limited, faces four charges: defrauding by false pretence, uttering a forged document, money laundering, and intentionally causing financial loss to a public institution. The charges stem from allegations that in 2018, they obtained GH₵14.3 million from Exim Bank for a large-scale farming project, but no farming activities were undertaken, no machinery was purchased, and a document presented as proof of purchase was allegedly forged. If the plea bargain fails and Wontumi is found guilty, he could face a maximum of 10 years imprisonment if sentences run concurrently, or up to 40 years if they run consecutively, as each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
Samreboi and its surrounding communities in the Amenfi West Municipality of Ghana's Western Region have been severely impacted by a devastating flood following heavy rainfall. Over 180 houses in Aboi, Cocoase, and Palazzo are inundated, displacing thousands of residents and claiming at least one life. Families have lost belongings, and schools and churches are serving as temporary shelters for victims, including children, the elderly, and nursing mothers. Residents attribute the catastrophe to illegal mining activities, locally known as galamsey, which they claim have degraded the environment and altered natural waterways, increasing flood susceptibility. Priscilla Yorke, the Municipal Chief Executive for Amenfi West, along with officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation NADMO, assessed the damage and assured victims of forthcoming relief assistance. The community is calling for urgent government and stakeholder intervention to address the environmental destruction contributing to recurring disasters.
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