The Attorney-General, Dr Dominic Ayine, has announced the commencement of prosecution proceedings against the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, over an alleged defrauding of the Ghana Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank) to the tune of GH¢24,255,735.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, December 22, 2025, Dr Ayine stated that Chairman Wontumi is expected to face charges of defrauding by false pretences, forgery, and causing financial loss to the state.

Farming Scheme Promised Jobs but Delivered None

According to the Attorney-General, the alleged fraud was carried out under the Ghana Exim Bank Mining Alternative Livelihoods Programme, a government initiative aimed at creating jobs for young people in communities affected by illegal mining.

Dr Ayine said Chairman Wontumi applied for the facility in December 2017, claiming that Wontumi Farms Limited would cultivate 100,000 acres of maize at Asare Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region and employ youth from galamsey-affected communities.

However, investigations revealed that the project never took off and no young people were employed, despite the release of funds.

“So this was a scheme designed to defraud Exim Bank,” Dr Ayine stated.

Company Did Not Exist at Time of Loan Application

The Attorney-General disclosed that Wontumi Farms Limited did not exist at the time the loan application was submitted.

According to findings by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the company was incorporated on December 14, 2017, five days after Chairman Wontumi had written to Exim Bank claiming the company’s board had approved the loan application.

“In short, the company did not exist at the time of the loan application by its sole shareholder and director,” Dr Ayine said.

Forged Receipt Used to Secure Funds

Dr Ayine further revealed that Chairman Wontumi submitted a forged receipt to Exim Bank, falsely claiming he had purchased farming equipment worth GH¢4 million.

According to investigators, the document was originally a pro forma invoice issued by Kasama Enterprise, which Chairman Wontumi allegedly altered by removing the word “invoice” and replacing it with “receipt.”

“The so-called receipt had on it 50 days to supply and one-year guarantee and service, which are features of invoices, not receipts,” Dr Ayine explained.

The owner of Kasama Enterprise later confirmed to investigators that no equipment was sold, adding that Chairman Wontumi never returned to complete the purchase despite repeated follow-ups.

Old, Non-Functioning Tractors Found on Site

When investigators visited the purported farm site at Asare Nkwanta, they reportedly found obsolete, non-functioning tractors dating back to the 1970s, instead of the modern agricultural machinery listed in the loan agreement.

Dr Ayine said images attached to the forged receipt even showed bulldozers and excavators, raising further doubts about the authenticity of the claims.

Pressure on Bank Over Salary Payments

The Attorney-General also disclosed that Chairman Wontumi allegedly pressured Exim Bank and E Bank Capital Limited to release GH¢400,000 meant for workers’ salaries directly into the account of Wontumi Farms Limited, rather than through the approved electronic payment system.

According to witnesses, Chairman Wontumi claimed that former galamsey operators preferred cash payments.

However, investigators found that no workers existed, and the company failed to submit a workers’ list because no farming activity had commenced.

The Exim Bank case adds to the legal challenges already facing Chairman Wontumi, who is currently standing trial at the Accra High Court over separate charges linked to alleged illegal mining activities involving Akonta Mining Limited.

Charges to Be Filed After Christmas

Dr Ayine confirmed that formal charges against Chairman Wontumi, Wontumi Farms Limited, and its directors will be filed after the Christmas break, when the Attorney-General’s Department resumes work.

He said the GH¢24,255,735 figure represents the principal loan amount plus accrued interest, noting that the total liability could increase.

The case is expected to intensify national debate on political accountability, public sector lending, and the use of state-backed development funds.