Wontumi Farms and its directors will appear in court for their involvement in financial crimes related to the Ghana Export-Import (EXIM) Bank, the Attorney-General (A-G) and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced.

Wontumi Farms is one of the businesses managed by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka Chairman Wontumi.

Their prosecution will commence after the Christmas break, to allow EXIM Bank to verify exactly how much money is at stake, as revealed by the A-G.

Addressing the media on Monday, December 22, in Accra, the A-G disclosed that the company secured a GHS4 million loan from EXIM Bank using a forged document. He added that to support the loan application, Chairman Wontumi submitted a falsified receipt purportedly issued by Casama Enterprise.

According to the A-G, Wontumi Farms’ illegal schemes were uncovered following the intervention of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

He stated that EOCO found enough evidence to accuse the suspects of cheating, faking documents, and causing financial loss to the government.

“In the face of the evidence we have gathered in this investigation, thoroughly conducted by EOCO, we have made the decision to prosecute Wontumi Farms and its directors with defrauding by false pretences, forgery and causing financial loss to the state in the sum of GHS24,255,735.

“This figure represents the principal sum plus the interest that has accrued so far. By the time we file charges, which will be definitely after the Christmas break, it might be that this figure would have increased because the interest on the principal keeps compounding.

“So we will get the exact figure of the amount that is involved in this criminal enterprise from the EXIM Bank before we file charges in court.”

Chairman Wontumi has previously appeared in court over other matters earlier this year. Chairman Wontumi has been accused of aiding individuals to mine without a proper licence at the Samreboi concession.

This was made known during a court proceeding on Tuesday, October 7. Prosecutors have accused Chairman Wontumi, owner of Akonta Mining, and his co-director, Kwame Antwi, of illegally authorizing mining operations without the necessary licenses.

The duo’s acts are criminal offenses under Ghana’s mining laws.According to prosecutors, one Henry Okum told investigators that he got permission from Chairman Wontumi to mine in the Samreboi area because he thought Wontumi owned the land.

In Ghana, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, is solely responsible for authorizing mining licenses.

Authorities are currently pursuing Kwame Antwi. Meanwhile, on Monday, October 6, he was granted bail in the sum of GH¢1 million with two sureties.

Chairman Wontumi made an appearance at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service with his lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, on Monday, October 6, after an order from the Attorney-General (A-G), Dr. Dominic Ayine.

On Friday, October 3, Dr. Dominic Ayine threatened to arrest him if he failed to surrender himself to the CID. According to the Attorney-General, little progress has been made in investigating the allegations as key documents have been withheld by some officials of the previous administration.

In April, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, revoked the company’s mining license for illegally mining within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western North Region.

The Minister explained that Akonta Mining has extended its illegal activities to the Aboi and Tano Nimiri Forest Reserves, despite possessing a valid license to operate outside of forest reserves. Reacting to the Minister’s statement, the company refuted claims leveled against its operations.

It emphasized in a press statement, “We are not responsible for the activities in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. That responsibility lies solely with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.”

The company added that such claims are a deliberate attempt by the Minister to tarnish the reputation of the company.

“The decision by the Minister to publicly accuse us and call for the revocation of our license without any investigation or hearing is not just unfair, it is a clear breach of natural justice and a politically motivated act,” the company said.

In May, the Special Police Anti-galamsey Taskforce from the National Police Headquarters apprehended 17 suspects in connection with illegal mining activities (galamsey) at Samreboi in the Western Region.

The police nabbed the suspects, comprising seven Chinese nationals and 10 Ghanaians. The suspects were transported to Accra to assist with further investigations.

The anti-galamsey task force is intensifying operations within the Aowin Tano and Tano Anwia areas near Enchi, focusing on identifying additional persons of interest and protecting the affected forest reserves.

The Ghana Police Service announced that it remains resolute in its support for national efforts to combat illegal mining. There have been earlier anti-galamsey operations at Samreboi. Months ago, the police arrested 58 suspects, comprising 50 Ghanaians and eight Chinese, and retrieved 85 excavators and three bulldozers to halt galamsey operations at Samreboi, along the Tano River, Wassa Dunkwa, Tigarikrom, and surrounding communities in the Western Region.

Similar anti-galamsey operations were carried out by various Regional Police Commands across the regions as follows: The Western Regional Police Command arrested 19 suspects and retrieved three excavators and three pump-action guns, among other exhibits.

The Upper West Regional Police Command arrested seven Ghanaian suspects and retrieved 11 changfangs and three motorbikes, among other exhibits.

The Eastern South Regional Police Command arrested 24 suspects, including one Burkinabe, and retrieved five excavators, three single-barrel guns, and one pump-action gun, among other exhibits.

The Western Central Regional Police Command arrested 85 suspects, comprising 76 Ghanaians and nine Chinese, and also retrieved 11 excavators and other exhibits.

The Eastern North Regional Police Command also arrested 15 suspects, including one Chinese, and retrieved four excavator control boards, nine monitors, and one pistol, among other exhibits. Meanwhile, the prosecution of suspected illegal miners is being pursued by the police.

On May 20, the Koforidua Circuit Court B granted 14 suspected illegal miners bail, each in the sum of GHC350,000 with two sureties, with one to be justified with movable property.The suspects were arrested on May 15 for illegally mining at Akyem Muoso in the Eastern Region by the Eastern South Regional Police Command.

At the time of the arrest, police retrieved a pump-action gun from one of the suspects, Zuberu Nuhoho, who failed to produce documentation for the weapon. Two excavator control boards were also retrieved from the mining site. The accused persons were arraigned before the Koforidua Circuit Court B on May 16.