Lawyers representing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, together with his company Akonta Mining Limited, have mounted a fresh legal move at the High Court aimed at delaying judgment in their long-running illegal mining trial.
The application, filed on June 23, 2026 before Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, is seeking to push back the court’s scheduled July 3 ruling, citing the need for newly engaged defence counsel to properly acquaint himself with the proceedings.
The defence says the sudden change of legal representation, coming just weeks before judgment, has created what it describes as a gap in preparation at a critical stage of the case.
According to the motion, lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea argues that effective representation requires time to go through the full record of proceedings, analyse evidence, and prepare final written submissions before the court delivers its decision.
The defence insists that without access to the complete case file, it would be impossible to fully respond to the prosecution’s final arguments, which are expected to be filed by the Attorney-General’s office.
It further argues that the right to a fair hearing under the 1992 Constitution extends to adequate time and facilities for counsel to prepare, especially at the concluding stage of a criminal trial.
The motion also highlights administrative delays in obtaining certified copies of proceedings from the court registry, which the defence says has further constrained its ability to prepare.
While the request effectively seeks to halt or postpone the delivery of judgment, the defence maintains that it is not attempting to frustrate justice but to ensure that the accused persons are not disadvantaged by procedural developments.
The prosecution, however, is expected to oppose any move that would derail the judgment date, given that both sides have already closed their cases after calling witnesses.
At the centre of the case are allegations that Akonta Mining Limited carried out illegal mining operations within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve at Samreboi without regulatory approval from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. The state further claims the company continued activities despite earlier denial of permission, with forest areas allegedly affected.
With the trial concluded, the court is now left to determine whether to grant the defence application or proceed with delivering judgment as scheduled on July 3, 2026.
