The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has initiated plea negotiations with the Attorney-General in connection with the ongoing GH¢30 million Exim Bank criminal case.
According to information presented before the court, lawyers for Chairman Wontumi have formally written to the Attorney-General expressing their client’s willingness to enter into plea bargaining discussions over the charges filed against him.
The development was disclosed in court after the Attorney-General notified the presiding judge pursuant to Section 162C(3) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) (Amendment) Act, 2022 (Act 1079).
Plea bargaining is a legal process that allows an accused person to negotiate with prosecutors, often by agreeing to plead guilty to certain offences in exchange for a reduced sentence, repayment arrangements, or other mutually agreed terms subject to court approval.
Chairman Wontumi, who is standing trial alongside two other accused persons in what has become known as the Exim Bank case, is facing four criminal charges. These include defrauding by false pretences, uttering a forged document, money laundering, and intentionally causing financial loss to a public body.
Prosecutors allege that the offences resulted in a financial loss of GH¢30 million to the state-owned Ghana Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank).
While the request for plea negotiations does not amount to an admission of guilt, it signals the accused person’s willingness to explore a settlement framework that could involve restitution of the alleged amount, payment of interest, a reduced sentence, or a combination of these measures.
The court is expected to await the outcome of discussions between the Attorney-General’s office and the defence team before determining the next steps in the proceedings.
The case continues to attract significant public attention due to Chairman Wontumi’s prominent role in Ghanaian politics and the magnitude of the alleged financial loss involved.
Story By: Eric Boateng
