The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has indicated that his office will press charges after concluding investigations into the activities of Wontumi Farms Limited, a corporate entity established by Bernard Antwi Bosiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
According to the Attorney-General, Chairman Wontumi accessed a loan facility under the Alternative Livelihoods Initiative designed by the Ghana Exim Bank to provide alternative sources of income for youth in areas affected by illegal mining.
Dr. Ayine explained that the facility was intended for companies committed to achieving the objectives of the initiative, particularly job creation in mining communities.
“In doing so, the Bank intended that loans under the programme would go to companies committed to ensuring the realisation of the objectives of the initiative, especially in relation to job creation for young persons in mining communities,” he said.
Dr. Ayine revealed that Wontumi Farms Limited was non-existent at the time the loan application was submitted.
“In December 2017, Wontumi Farms Limited submitted an application for a loan of GH¢18 million, purportedly to cultivate maize on 100,000 acres of farmland and employ youth on the farm. However, at the time the application, together with a purported board resolution, was submitted, the company was not registered. In short, the company did not exist at the time of the loan application by its sole shareholder and director,” he disclosed.
The Attorney-General said charges will be brought against Wontumi Farms Limited and all persons involved in its operations.
“In the circumstances, and in the face of the evidence gathered from investigations thoroughly conducted by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), we have decided to prosecute Wontumi Farms Limited and its directors for defrauding by false pretences, forgery, and causing financial loss to the state in the sum of GH¢24,255,735. This figure represents the principal amount plus accrued interest,” he stated.
In a separate investigation, Dr. Ayine disclosed that the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) flagged and filed a Suspicious Transaction Report with First Bank Ghana regarding transactions involving Mr. Percival Kofi Akpaloo, Founder and Leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana.
“Between December 2022 and June 2024, Mr. Akpaloo collected eight cheques issued by COCOBOD in the name of Pomaa Universal (Gh.) Ltd, totalling GH¢3,169,432.22, and deposited them into the account of his own company at First Bank Ghana,” Dr. Ayine said.
Dr. Ayine further stated that Mr. Akpaloo and his spouse would be charged after the Christmas break.
“The suspects investigated are Percival Kofi Akpaloo, Pomaa Universal (Gh.) Ltd, and Delvine Akpaloo, the spouse of Percival Kofi Akpaloo. The evidence shows that they engaged in various criminal offences, including stealing, forgery, and money laundering, and they will be charged by my office in January,” he concluded.
Source: myxyzonline.com
