AG opposes Wontumi’s appeal to defer July 3 judgment

The Office of the Attorney General has announced that it will strongly oppose an application seeking to postpone judgment in the ongoing criminal trial involving the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, over alleged illegal mining activities in Samreboi.

The application for the deferment of judgment was filed by lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea, who recently took over the legal representation of Chairman Wontumi following the withdrawal of his previous counsel.

However, prosecutors insist the request lacks legal merit and have urged the court to dismiss the application and allow the case to proceed without further delay.

In a statement, the Attorney General's Office disclosed that it filed a 13-paragraph affidavit in opposition on Thursday, June 25, through Senior State Attorney Nana Ama Prempeh.

The affidavit argues that Chairman Wontumi was represented by legal counsel throughout the trial and that the withdrawal of his previous lawyer was voluntary rather than the result of circumstances beyond the lawyer's control.

According to the prosecution, the change in legal representation does not justify delaying the delivery of judgment.

The Attorney General further argued that any new lawyer taking over the case should obtain all relevant documents, case records and legal briefings from the outgoing lawyer instead of relying on the court registry.

The prosecution maintains that established legal practice requires an incoming lawyer to receive the necessary case materials from previous counsel to ensure continuity in legal representation.

"In a 13-paragraph affidavit in opposition deposed to by Nana Ama Prempeh, a Senior State Attorney, and filed this afternoon, the Attorney General strongly argues that the accused person, having been represented by counsel throughout the trial and that counsel only withdrew voluntarily and not for cause, the proper source for a new lawyer to procure the records of and any brief or briefing on the case is the outgoing counsel and not the Court's Registry," a statement shared by Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) said.

The prosecution also questioned the approach adopted by Chairman Wontumi's new legal team.

According to the Attorney General's Office, Samuel Atta Akyea's decision to seek the case records directly from the court registry, rather than obtaining them from the previous lawyer, was not made in good faith.

State prosecutors argue that the application appears to be an attempt to delay the proceedings instead of facilitating a smooth transition between legal representatives.

Chairman Wontumi is facing criminal prosecution over allegations of illegal mining activities in Samreboi, a matter that has attracted significant public and political attention.

The case forms part of the government's broader crackdown on illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, which has been blamed for widespread environmental degradation, destruction of forest reserves, and pollution of major water bodies across Ghana.

The Office of the Attorney General has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the case proceeds in accordance with the law and has asked the court to reject the application for a postponement and continue with the judicial process.