By Collins Sarkodieh 
The intersection of state resource recovery and criminal justice has taken center stage at the Accra High Court. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, the prominent Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is actively seeking a plea bargain in an ongoing multi-million Cedi criminal prosecution.
Commenting on the live broadcast of The Big Issue on Saturday June 13 2026, Dr. Nana Yaw Adutwum, Head of Research for the United Party, described the proposed legal settlement as a highly strategic opportunity for the state to efficiently claw back vital public resources.
The state prosecution focuses on a series of aggressive financial irregularities executed over a four-year period. State prosecutors allege that between 2018 and 2022, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako alongside Thomas Antwi-Boasiako who currently remains at large utilized Wontumi Farms Limited to fraudulently obtain 14,302,000 Ghanaian Cedis from the Ghana Export-Import Bank under false pretenses.
Logic dictates that when the public purse faces severe deficits, securing cash returns is far more productive than simply funding prison stays. The official state charge sheet indicates that Chairman Wontumi allegedly presented a forged receipt to secure an additional four million Cedi credit facility.
Furthermore, he faces serious money laundering charges for knowingly benefiting from these illicit funds, with the prosecution estimating total financial losses to EXIM Bank at over thirty million Cedis. Dr.
Adutwum noted that because the state historically struggles to recover stolen liquid capital, accepting a deal where the accused repays the principal loan alongside significant financial compensation is the smartest move for national development. He clarified, however, that prioritizing asset recovery does not mean stripping away the Attorney-General power to demand an accompanying custodial sentence.
Hoping to fix a thirty million Cedi institutional deficit with political arguments is a massive logical error. While watching high-profile politicians go through a dramatic trial is entertaining for the public, an empty treasury cannot fund schools or roads.
True statecraft relies on cold hard mathematics, making a verified cash-backed plea bargain a highly logical path forward. By forcing the accused to refund the principal loan with heavy interest penalties, the state can vindicate the rule of law while ensuring that public development funds actually return to the citizens who need them most.
Also Read: Chairman Wontumi Seeks Legal Settlement in Exim Bank Fraud Case
Source: Channelonetv.com