Wontumi appeals for deferment of July 3 ruling

Lawyers for the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, have formally applied to the High Court to defer the delivery of judgment in the criminal case involving him and Akonta Mining Company Limited.

The application, filed by newly appointed counsel Samuel Atta Akyea, asks the court to postpone the July 3 judgment to allow the defence sufficient time to obtain the certified record of proceedings and prepare written submissions.

The motion follows the withdrawal of Wontumi’s former lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, shortly after the close of the defence’s case. Although the court dismissed the earlier application seeking leave to withdraw, it held that in criminal proceedings counsel does not require the court’s permission to cease representing a client, describing the issue as one between lawyer and client.

In an affidavit supporting the application, Atta Akyea states that he was appointed on June 19 to represent Wontumi and Akonta Mining Company Limited after the previous lawyer withdrew.

He says he has since requested certified copies of the proceedings and all processes filed in the case but is yet to receive them from the court registry.

According to the affidavit, without the complete record, he is unable to adequately familiarise himself with the proceedings or effectively discharge his professional obligations to his clients.

He argues that given the serious criminal charges and their potential consequences, the accused are entitled to effective legal representation at every stage of the trial.

The application further contends that granting the adjournment would not prejudice the prosecution but would instead uphold the constitutional right to a fair hearing and enhance public confidence in the administration of justice.

Atta Akyea insists the request is not intended to delay or obstruct justice but solely to enable him to properly study the case before judgment is delivered.

The High Court had fixed July 3, 2026, for judgment after the close of the defence’s case. Wontumi and his co-accused are standing trial over allegations connected to illegal mining activities, charges they have denied.