The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice (A-G), Dr Dominic Ayine, has announced the commencement of criminal prosecutions against the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, and the founder of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Percival Kofi Akpaloo, for separate major alleged fraud cases involving state funds.
Addressing a press briefing in Accra yesterday, the A-G also provided an update on the government’s broader anti-corruption drive under the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative.
Wontumi Farms case
Dr Ayine detailed that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) had concluded investigations into Wontumi Farms Limited, a company solely owned by Chairman Wontumi.
The probe revealed that in December 2017, Mr Boasiako applied for a GH¢18 million loan from the Ghana Exim Bank under the Mining Alternative Livelihood Initiative, purportedly to cultivate maize on 100,000 acres of land and employ young people in Asare Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region.
The company, the A-G alleged, was not legally registered at the time of the application.
In spite of that, Exim Bank approved a facility of GH¢18.73 million, which included a grant component of over GH¢6.7 million.
Investigations established that Mr Boasiako allegedly failed to meet key pre-disbursement conditions, including providing a database of workers for a biometric payroll system.
A central finding was that Chairman Wontumi allegedly forged a document from an equipment dealer, Kas-Sama Enterprise.
Dr Ayine said Mr Boasiako altered a proforma invoice to look like a receipt, purportedly showing payment of GH¢4 million for farm machinery, including bulldozers and excavators, which were never purchased.
“It is clear from our investigations that Chairman Wontumi and his company made fraudulent misrepresentations to Exim Bank, forged a receipt in order to deceive Exim Bank,” the A-G stated.
Consequently, Wontumi Farms Limited and its directors will be prosecuted for defrauding by false pretences, forgery and causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GH¢24.25 million (principal plus interest).
Akpaloo, COCOBOD Feeder Roads case
In a second case, the A-G alleged fraud involving Percival Kofi Akpaloo.
EOCO investigations revealed that Mr Akpaloo allegedly cloned a legitimate company, Pomaa Universal (Gh.) Ltd, owned by Akua Pomaa, which had a GH¢29.5-million COCOBOD feeder road contract.
Mr Akpaloo secretly registered a similarly named entity, Pomaah (with an ‘h’) Universal (Gh.) Ltd, and between December 2022 and June 2024, collected eight COCOBOD cheques worth over GH¢3.1 million issued to the legitimate company and deposited them into his cloned company’s account, the Attorney-General alleged.
“Akua Pomaa was unaware of both the existence of Pomaah Universal (Gh.) Ltd and the diversion of funds until COCOBOD contacted her,” Dr Ayine said.
She also alleged that Mr Akpaloo forged her signature on the contract.
Mr Akpaloo, his company, Pomaah Universal, and his spouse, Delvine Akpaloo, will face charges in January 2026 for stealing, forgery and money laundering.
Update on ORAL
Providing an update on the wider ORAL investigations, the A-G confirmed that following his earlier briefing on the National Service Authority (NSA) scandal, the Auditor-General had issued disallowance and surcharge notices to implicated officers.
“After 14 days, if they fail to show cause, the money becomes a debt due and owing to the state, and I will proceed to take civil action to recover the sums involved,” he stated, warning of attachment of properties.
Dr Ayine gave assurance that the ORAL investigations were progressing robustly, with the aim of building cases that met the standard of proof for criminal trials.
The A-G’s announcements signal a continued crackdown on high-profile alleged corruption, with the state preparing to pursue both criminal convictions and civil asset recovery.