Wontumi’s lawyers ask court to declare EXIM Bank case a civil matter

Former NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known as Chairman Wontumi, and his farming company, Wontumi Farms, have taken the High Court to dispute criminal proceedings stemming from a loan disagreement with Ghana Exim Bank. Both parties are requesting a declaration that the case is a civil debt issue and should not be prosecuted as a criminal matter.

The plaintiffs, who include Ghana Exim Bank, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and the Attorney General as defendants, assert that the matter revolves around a loan repayment dispute. They argue that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) acted beyond its authority by attempting to collect the debt. The loan, valued at over GH¢18 million, was used to fund a farming project on a 10,000-acre parcel of land that served as collateral.

The plaintiffs further allege that even though the farm achieved a bountiful maize harvest, it was ruined by flooding from nearby rivers, exacerbating their financial woes. They maintain that the bank was made aware of the predicament and promised to activate the insurance policy to cover the remaining debt. The plaintiffs are requesting the High Court to rule that the dispute should be handled in civil courts and are seeking an order to compel the bank to account for the remaining balance and pursue repayment through the mortgaged property, the personal guarantee, or the insurance coverage.