The Accra High Court has adjourned the GH¢30 million Ghana Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank) case involving former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to October 13, 2026. This decision was made after the prosecution filed an amended charge sheet, which now identifies the company whose pro-forma invoice is alleged to have been forged.
The case was initially set to proceed on Tuesday, September 22, but Principal State Attorney Joshua Sackey informed the court that the prosecution had filed a fresh charge sheet and served copies on counsel for the accused persons. The amended charge sheet, dated September 19, 2026, maintains the charge of uttering a forged document under Section 169 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
According to the amended charge sheet, the allegedly forged document was a pro-forma invoice belonging to EPSONS GHANA LIMITED. The prosecution alleges that in 2017, within the Greater Accra Region, Mr Antwi-Boasiako used the document knowing it to be false, with the intention of defrauding officials of Exim Bank and obtaining GH¢4 million from the bank.
Following the amendment, the accused persons are expected to enter their pleas afresh when the case returns to court on October 13. The defence team, led by Nana Nti Ofori-Debrah, requested more time to study the amended charge sheet and present it to the substantive counsel before the charges could be substituted and pleas taken.
The court granted the request and adjourned the matter to October 13, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. Mr Antwi-Boasiako is standing trial alongside Thomas Antwi-Boasiako and Wontumi Farms Limited over an alleged GH¢30 million loss involving Exim Bank. The five-count charge comprises defrauding by false pretence, two counts of uttering a forged document, money laundering and intentionally causing financial loss to a public body.
According to the charge sheet, Mr Antwi-Boasiako and Mr Thomas Antwi-Boasiako allegedly obtained about GH¢14.302 million from Exim Bank in 2018 through false pretences. The prosecution further alleges that the accused persons caused the bank to suffer a loss of GH¢30 million between 2018 and 2022.
The case has significant implications for the financial sector, particularly with regards to the role of Exim Bank in supporting Ghanaian businesses. The court's decision to adjourn the case to October 13 will allow the defence team to prepare their response to the amended charge sheet, ensuring a fair trial for all parties involved.
Key points
- The Accra High Court has adjourned the GH¢30 million Exim Bank case to October 13, 2026.
- The prosecution's amended charge sheet identifies EPSONS GHANA LIMITED as the company whose pro-forma invoice was allegedly forged.
- The case involves allegations of defrauding by false pretence, uttering a forged document, money laundering, and intentionally causing financial loss to a public body.
