The Accra High Court has admitted businessman and politician Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, together with co accused Thomas Antwi Boasiako and Wontumi Farms Limited, to bail in an ongoing criminal case involving allegations of fraud, forgery, money laundering, and causing financial loss to a public institution.
The accused persons have all denied the charges of obtaining money by false pretences, producing a forged document, engaging in money laundering activities, and deliberately causing financial harm to a public body.
According to the charge sheet filed by the Attorney General’s Department, prosecutors allege that in 2018, Bernard Antwi Boasiako and Thomas Antwi Boasiako unlawfully obtained GH¢14,302,000 from the Export and Import Bank, EXIM Bank, through false representations. The prosecution further claims that Chairman Wontumi used a falsified receipt, which he allegedly knew to be fraudulent, to secure an additional GH¢4 million from the same financial institution.
Court documents indicate that the disputed receipt was presented to officials of EXIM Bank as proof of payment and was used to support the financial transaction under investigation.
On the money laundering charge, prosecutors allege that between 2018 and 2022, Chairman Wontumi handled portions of the GH¢14.302 million disbursed to Wontumi Farms Limited while allegedly being aware that the funds had been obtained through unlawful means.
The accused persons are also facing allegations of intentionally causing financial loss exceeding GH¢30 million to EXIM Bank during the course of the transaction involving Wontumi Farms Limited.
During court proceedings, counsel for the accused, Andy Appiah Kubi, urged the court to uphold the existing bail conditions earlier granted by the Economic and Organised Crime Office, EOCO. He argued that the accused persons had fully cooperated with investigators, consistently honoured invitations, and posed no risk of absconding.
He further told the court that Chairman Wontumi is a well known businessman and political figure with a fixed place of residence and had complied fully with all previous bail conditions imposed on him.
The prosecution did not oppose the bail request and confirmed that the first accused had adhered to earlier bail terms and had reliably appeared whenever required by investigators or the court.
The court therefore maintained the existing bail conditions and instructed the prosecution to file all necessary disclosures ahead of the Case Management Conference.
The case has been adjourned to 18 June 2026 for further management proceedings.
