The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, allegedly forged a receipt to falsely claim that farming and earth-moving equipment worth GH₵4 million had been purchased under a Ghana Exim Bank loan facility.

Addressing the media in Accra on 22 December, Dr. Ayine said Wontumi Farms Limited submitted what it described as proof of payment for equipment supposedly procured from Kas-Sama Enterprise.

However, investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) established that the document submitted was originally an invoice, not a receipt, and had been deliberately altered to mislead the bank.

“Chairman Wontumi obtained an invoice with a promise to return and purchase the equipment but never did,” the Attorney-General revealed. “Instead, he forged the invoice by removing the word ‘invoice’ and replacing it with ‘receipt’.”

He added that the owner of Kas-Sama Enterprise confirmed no payment had been received and that the so-called receipt still contained terms such as “50 days to supply,” clearly indicating it was a proforma invoice, not evidence of payment.

Dr. Ayine said the government will prosecute Wontumi Farms and its directors for allegedly defrauding Exim Bank, committing forgery, and causing a financial loss to the state exceeding GH₵24 million.

“These are not mere breaches of a contract,” he stated. “They constitute acts of criminality by no means a person other than the regional chairman of the then ruling party.”

He explained that the decision to prosecute follows a thorough investigation conducted by EOCO, which gathered substantial evidence implicating the company and its directors.

“In the circumstances, and in the face of the evidence we have gathered in this investigation, we have made the decision to prosecute Wontumi Farms and its directors for defrauding by false pretences, forgery, and causing financial loss to the state,” Dr. Ayine said.

The Attorney-General revealed that the total financial loss amounts to GH₵24,225,735, representing the principal loan sum plus accrued interest.