Lawyers for the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, have asked the High Court to delay its judgment in the criminal case involving him and Akonta Mining Company Limited.
The request was made by his new lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, who wants the court to postpone the judgment scheduled for July 3.
He says he needs more time to obtain the certified records of the case and prepare his written arguments.
The application comes after Wontumi’s former lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, withdrew from the case shortly after the defence completed its presentation.
Although the court rejected the earlier application seeking permission to withdraw, it explained that in criminal cases, a lawyer does not need the court’s approval to stop representing a client.
The court said that the matter is between the lawyer and the client.
In an affidavit filed in support of the application, Atta Akyea said he was appointed on June 19 to represent both Wontumi and Akonta Mining Company Limited after the previous lawyer stepped down.
He explained that he has already requested certified copies of the court proceedings and all documents related to the case, but the court registry has not yet provided them.
According to him, without the full records, he cannot properly understand everything that has happened in the case or effectively represent his clients.
He argued that because the charges are serious and could have major consequences, the accused persons deserve proper legal representation at every stage of the trial.
The application also states that delaying the judgment would not negatively affect the prosecution. Instead, it would protect the constitutional right of the accused to a fair hearing and strengthen public confidence in the justice system.
Atta Akyea maintains that the request is not an attempt to delay or frustrate the legal process. He says the goal is simply to give him enough time to study the case thoroughly before the court delivers its judgment.
The High Court had set July 3, 2026, as the date to deliver its judgment after the defence concluded its case.
Wontumi and his co-accused are facing trial over allegations linked to illegal mining activities, claims they have denied.
