Bernard Antwi-Boasiako trial for GH₵30m EXIM Bank fraud adjourned to 2026

The Accra High Court has adjourned the trial of Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, the former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to November 2026. The case involves an alleged GH₵30 million financial loss to the Ghana Export-Import (EXIM) Bank. Justice Francis Achibonga postponed the proceedings on the basis that the defense had not yet been served with necessary disclosure documents by the prosecution, preventing the trial from moving forward as scheduled.

Defense counsel Samuel Atta Akyea informed the court that while the prosecution claimed to have filed the documents on October 23 and 26, the defense team had not yet received them. Akyea argued that his client’s liberty was at stake and insisted on the legal right to review all evidence before the trial commences. The court agreed that the defense required adequate time to examine the materials once they are provided.

Mr. Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, faces five charges, including money laundering and fraud by false pretences. The state’s case centers on allegations that he secured GH₵30 million from the EXIM Bank for a farming project that was never executed, resulting in a significant financial loss. The next hearing for the case is now scheduled for November 2 and 3, 2026.