Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has shed light on the circumstances surrounding the Exim Bank case.
According to Wontumi, in 2018, he went for a loan to invest in a commercial farm he planned to establish in Sekyere.
Wontumi disclosed that he went through the proper process to secure a loan, adding that he did not misappropriate the loan.
Chairman Wontumi explained that his commercial maize farm was later destroyed by heavy rains, a natural disaster beyond his control.
Speaking in an interview with Asaasepa Radio, Chairman Wontumi disclosed, “On the back of the plea bargain, I want to clarify that in 2018 I went to the bank to secure funds in order to invest in a commercial farm I planned to establish in Sekyere. We applied as a company, provided the required collateral, and received a term sheet from the bank. They even directed us to an insurance company to cover the farm”.
“Unfortunately, heavy rains later destroyed the maize farm, a natural disaster beyond my control,” he claimed.
“That same year, we became first runner-up in the Farmers’ Day celebration, which shows that the farm was not a small venture but a significant operation”.
“Who can simply walk into a bank and obtain a loan without going through the proper procedures? I followed the required process, step by step. This is the narrative I want to present regarding the Exim Bank case”, he explained.
It will be recalled that Chairman Wontumi was slapped with fresh charges over a GH¢14.3M Exim Bank loan case.
He was slapped with fresh charges, including fraud by false pretence.
Wontumi, Thomas Antwi-Boasiako (at large) and Wontumi Farms Limited are facing four counts of charges per the charge sheet filed on Friday, May 15, 2026.
The charge sheet filed on Friday, May 15, 2026, signed by Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai, detailed that “Chairman Wontumi is personally facing three of the four counts of the charge of defrauding by false pretence, contrary to Section 131 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29); uttering of a forged document, contrary to Section 169 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29); and money laundering, contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044)”.
“Together with Thomas Antwi-Boasiako and Wontumi Farms Limited, they are facing the charge of intentionally causing financial loss to a public body, contrary to Section 179A(2) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29)”, Starr FM stated.
Meanwhile, Lawyer Andy Appiah-Kubi, lawyer for Chairman Wontumi, has refuted claims that his client’s decision to seek plea negotiations in the Exim Bank fraud case is an admission of guilt.
Appiah-Kubi highlighted that every accused person remains innocent until proven guilty under Ghana’s plea bargaining framework.
According to Wontumi’s lawyer, opting for a plea bargain doesn’t mean the person is guilty.
Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM on June 11, 2026, Appiah-Kubi explained, “Opting for a plea bargain doesn’t mean the person is guilty. We opted for a plea bargain and have not yet started discussions on the terms, but why is the Attorney-General impugning their own motives?”
“The Plea Bargaining Act comes as Act 1079. Section 162 of the previous Act has been amended and captured as 162A on plea negotiations. This law came into effect on July 22, 2022”.
“It’s not everyone that knows this provision. The plea agreement under Section 162A(1)(b) is to withdraw all the charges against the accused person, which is one of the expectations of the negotiations”.
“Section 162A(2)(a) says the prosecutor shall, before the commencement of plea negotiations, inform the accused person of the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty,” he stated.
He added, “So there is no way that anyone who applies for plea negotiations admits guilt or is guilty. That’s not what the law says”.
“For now, we haven’t met to design the terms of negotiations, so why are we in a hurry to prescribe one of them for us when we haven’t indicated a preference?” he asked.
“If the negotiated position is the withdrawal of the charges, then where is the conviction?” he quizzed.
“We need to understand these things because the speculation is worrying. It is not fair,” he added.
Watch the video below:
Chairman Wontumi sheds light on the circumstances surrounding the Exim Bank case, offering his account of the issues that led to the charges against him.#PrimeRakon pic.twitter.com/qEb7OpwapE
— Prime Rakon (@prime_rakon) June 16, 2026
