The Attorney General has opposed an application by lawyers for Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, seeking to postpone the delivery of judgment in the criminal case involving him and Akonta Mining Company Limited over alleged illegal mining activities at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The Office of the Attorney General, led in court by Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem Sai, argued that there are no sufficient legal grounds to justify delaying the judgment, which is scheduled for July 3, 2026. The prosecution is urging the High Court to dismiss the application and proceed with the ruling as planned.
The application for adjournment was filed by Wontumi’s new lead counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea, after taking over the case following the withdrawal of former lawyer Andy Appiah Kubi. Atta Akyea had argued that he was only recently instructed to represent the accused and needed additional time to obtain certified copies of the court proceedings and study the evidence before judgment is delivered. He maintained that granting the request would protect his clients’ constitutional right to effective legal representation and a fair trial.
However, the Attorney General’s office has rejected that argument, insisting that the trial has been concluded after months of proceedings and that all parties have already been afforded adequate opportunity to present their evidence and legal arguments. According to the prosecution, delaying the judgment solely because of a change in legal representation would undermine the efficient administration of justice.
The Samreboi case has been before the High Court since October 2025. Wontumi, Akonta Mining Company Limited, and another accused person, Kwame Antwi, who remains at large, are facing charges including assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval and facilitating unlicensed mining operations, contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act. The accused persons have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The prosecution alleges that Wontumi and his company unlawfully allowed individuals to undertake mining activities on the company’s concession at Samreboi without obtaining the approval required under Ghanaian mining laws. During the trial, prosecutors presented four witnesses in support of the charges.
The defence also called several witnesses, including Evans Addae, an Assembly Member from the Samreboi area, who testified that illegal mining had indeed taken place on the concession but insisted it was not carried out under the instructions of Wontumi or Akonta Mining. After the defence closed its case, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay fixed July 3, 2026, for judgment and directed both parties to file any written submissions before that date.
The case has attracted considerable national attention because of Wontumi’s senior position within the NPP and the wider public debate over illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, in Ghana.
The High Court is expected to first determine whether Wontumi’s application to defer the judgment has merit. Should the court reject the request, it will proceed to deliver its judgment on July 3 as originally scheduled. If the application is granted, the ruling would be postponed to allow the new defence team additional time to prepare.
The Attorney General’s opposition sets the stage for a legal showdown over whether the case should proceed without further delay, with the court expected to decide the matter before the scheduled judgment date.
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