Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has sued the Ghana Exim Bank, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Attorney General, seeking the High Court to stop the criminalisation of a loan dispute involving Ghana Exim Bank.

Chairman Wontumi and his Wontumi farms, plaintiffs in the case, argue that the matter should be resolved through civil proceedings following criminal proceedings over alleged offences including defrauding by false pretences, money laundering and causing financial loss to the state.

In their statement of claim filed through their lawyer Samuel Atta-Akyea, the plaintiffs contend that the dispute borders on recovery of a loan exceeding GH¢18 million granted to finance a farming project, as cited in a publication by myjoyonline.

The report adds that the incarcerated politician and Wontumi farms accuse "EOCO of acting beyond its mandate by assuming the role of a debt collector and insist that the disagreement should be handled as a contractual matter".

They stressed that a 10,000-acre parcel of land belonging to Wontumi Farms was used as collateral and Chairman Wontumi also personally guaranteed repayment if the farm defaulted.

They further claim Ghana Exim Bank agreed to obtain insurance to cover the loan.

They deny obtaining the facility through deceit or engaging in criminal conduct and so pray the court to declare the dispute a civil debt matter and direct the Ghana Exim Bank to pursue recovery through the mortgage, the personal guarantee or the insurance cover as agreed between the parties.