The High Court in Accra has directed the prosecution to file its disclosures within 14 days to pave the way for the trial of the convicted former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, over the alleged GH¢30 million Ghana Export-Import (Exim) Bank financial loss case.
The direction followed an announcement by the State that efforts to reach a plea agreement with Mr Boasiako had not yielded an agreement.
The court, presided over by Justice Halima El-Alawa Abdul Baasit, subsequently ruled that the case would proceed to trial, noting that the statutory 30-day period for plea negotiations had elapsed after the matter had already been adjourned twice to allow the parties to negotiate.
The case has been adjourned to September 22, 2026, at 10 a.m. for a Case Management Conference.
Boasiako is currently serving a 20-year jail term for illegal mining related issues.
No agreement reached
When the case was called today (August 27), State Attorneys, appearing on behalf of the Attorney-General, informed the court that the prosecution and the accused had not reached a plea agreement.
The development brought an end to the latest window granted by the court for the parties to negotiate a possible resolution of the case without a full trial.
The court subsequently indicated that, having already granted two adjournments for the negotiations and with the statutory 30-day period having elapsed, it would proceed with the trial.
Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, lead counsel for Mr Boasiako, agreed with the court's position but pointed out that a plea agreement could still be reached before judgment.
The judge agreed with counsel, indicating that the possibility of a plea agreement remained open even as the trial proceeded.
Disclosures
Following the court's decision, the prosecution was directed to file its disclosures within 14 days.
The parties subsequently agreed on September 22 for the Case Management Conference, at which the court is expected to give further directions on the trial.
Plea negotiations
On July 27, Mr Atta Akyea formally took over as lead counsel for Mr Boasiako from Mr Andy Appiah-Kubi and informed the court that he had engaged the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, on the possibility of reaching an agreement.
The prosecution had then told the court that the negotiations were at an advanced stage and requested a further 30-day period to conclude them. The court consequently adjourned the case to August 27.
At the July 27 sitting, Dr Srem-Sai said the negotiations had made progress before they were interrupted by Mr Boasiako's conviction in a separate case. He also indicated that the prosecution had not filed its disclosures because it did not want the process to prejudice the ongoing negotiations.
The court had earlier granted the parties additional time on July 6 after they informed it that negotiations were still ongoing.
The charges
Mr Boasiako and Thomas Antwi-Boasiako, a director of Wontumi Farms Limited, are facing charges arising from an alleged transaction involving Exim Bank.
Mr Boasiako has pleaded not guilty to charges including defrauding by false pretence, uttering a forged document, money laundering and intentionally causing financial loss to a public body.
The prosecution alleges that in 2018, Mr Boasiako, acting as Managing Director of Wontumi Farms Limited, applied for a facility of about GH¢19 million from Exim Bank to finance a farming project.
The Bank subsequently approved a mixed loan and grant facility of GH¢18.7 million, out of which GH¢14.302 million was disbursed to Wontumi Farms.
The prosecution alleges that the proposed farming project was not undertaken and that a document presented to the Bank as a receipt for agricultural machinery worth GH¢4 million was, in fact, an altered pro-forma invoice.
The State further alleges that substantial portions of the money were withdrawn and used for personal purposes and investments in other businesses, resulting in a financial loss to the Bank of more than GH¢30 million.
Mr Boasiako has denied the allegations.
The latest development means that, unless a plea agreement is reached before the trial is concluded, the prosecution will now have to proceed with its case against the accused persons.
