Accra High Court has given lawyers for the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, more time to file a written address in the alleged Samreboi illegal mining case.
During proceedings on Monday, June 29, the court allowed Wontumi’s lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, the former Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, to submit his written arguments by July 13, 2026.
The judge also adjourned the case to July 20, 2026, when the court is expected to deliver its ruling.
Mr. Atta Akyea recently took over Wontumi’s defence and earlier asked the court to delay its judgment. He explained that he needed enough time to study the case and prepare his client’s defence properly.
The Office of the Attorney General opposed the request, saying it had no legal basis.
In a 13-paragraph affidavit filed on June 25, Senior State Attorney Nana Ama Prempeh argued that Wontumi had legal representation throughout the trial.
She also stated that his former lawyer chose to withdraw from the case voluntarily.
The prosecution further argued that the outgoing lawyer should have provided the new defence team with the case records and briefing instead of expecting the court registry to do so.
The Attorney General’s Office also questioned the intention behind the application. It maintained that the new lawyer should have obtained all the required documents from his predecessor rather than requesting them directly from the court.
Despite its earlier opposition, the prosecution did not object when the court considered Mr. Atta Akyea’s request for more time to file his written address during Monday’s hearing.
On June 15, Chairman Wontumi appointed Samuel Atta Akyea as his new lead lawyer in the criminal case involving Akonta Mining. He made the appointment after his previous lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, withdrew from the case.
