Dr Dominic Ayine, the Attorney-General, has said the Mahama government’s Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) is going well.
The Attorney General further issued a stern warning to state institutions that 2026 is going to be a different year for ORAL.
According to the Attorney General, state institutions that delay when called upon to provide information on alleged corruption will be viewed as being complicit.
Addressing the media in Accra on Monday, December 22, the Attorney General state, “The ORAL investigation is going on well. 2026 is going to be a different year. If I make demands on you [state institutions] and you delay, I will take the view that you are complicit.
“So all state institutions that have information that is needed to file criminal prosecutions should not delay in submitting the information”.
Also, Dr Dominic Ayine revealed the state will prosecute Chairman Wontumi, Wontumi Farms and its directors over alleged GHS24m EXIM Bank fraud.
According to the Attorney-General, Chairman Wontumi and his company, Wontumi Farms Limited, made fraudulent misrepresentations to Exim Bank to obtain the loan facility.
He revealed that investigations conducted by the Economic and Organised Crime Office revealed evidence of defrauding by false pretences, forgery, and causing financial loss to the state.
Dr Dominic Ayine announced that Bernard Antwi Boasiako, chief promoter of Wontumi Farms, Exim Bank approved a medium term-loan facility of Ghs18,734,260.00, which included a grant component of Ghs6,768,260.00.
This offer was accepted via a letter dated January 23, 2018, and Chairman Wontumi, acting as the Chief Executive Officer of Wontumi Farms Limited and Thomas Antwi Boasiako, as director of Wontumi Farms Limited.
The offer letter indicated that the approval of the medium-term loan facility was subject to the Bank’s terms and conditions. The loan offer letter further stated that the loan was secured with 10,000 acres of the farmland of Wontumi Farms Limited at Asare Nkwanta.
The breakdown of the approved Ghs18,734,260.00 loan as per the offer letter is as follows:
Purchase of agricultural plant and machinery – GH₵3,865,000.00
Working capital – GH₵8,101,000.00
Grant -staff cost and consultancy fees – GH₵6,768,260.00.
Dr Dominic Ayine revealed that the equipment was never procured, adding that the farming enterprise never materialised, with no young persons being employed in Asare Nkwatia.
According to the Attorney General, the company and its director and CEO forged a receipt in order to deceive Exim Bank into believing that they complied with the loan conditions.