AG opposes Wontumi’s request to defer judgment in Samreboi mining case

The Attorney-General has asked the High Court in Accra to reject an application by Chairman Wontumi seeking to postpone judgment in his alleged illegal mining case.

The application was filed after former Abuakwa South MP Samuel Atta Akyea took over the defence of Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

Mr Atta Akyea had asked the court to defer judgment to allow him time to obtain and study the record of proceedings.

But the Attorney-General says the request has no merit.

In an affidavit in opposition filed on Thursday, June 25, Senior State Attorney Nana Ama Prempeh argued that Chairman Wontumi had been represented by counsel throughout the trial.

The State’s position is that the change of lawyer at this stage should not be used as a basis to delay the judgment.

According to the prosecution, the withdrawal of the previous lawyer was voluntary and not the result of any circumstance beyond counsel’s control.

The Attorney-General further argued that if the new lawyer required the trial records, the proper person to provide them was the outgoing lawyer and not the court registry.

The State said the attempt to obtain the record directly from the registry, rather than from the previous lawyer, was not made in good faith.

The affidavit urged the court to dismiss the application and proceed with the matter.

The development comes ahead of the court’s scheduled judgment on July 3.

Chairman Wontumi is standing trial over alleged illegal mining activities at Samreboi.

The case has attracted public attention because of his political profile and the wider national debate over illegal mining.

The High Court is expected to determine whether the judgment should proceed as scheduled or be postponed as requested by the defence.