Attorney-General opposes Atta Akyea's request for deferment of judgement in Wontumi' Samreboi illegal mining case

The Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice has filed an affidavit in opposition to the motion filed by newly engaged lawyer for Chairman Wontumi in the Samreboi illegal mining case, Atta Akyea.

The affidavit filed by Nana Ama Prempeh, Senior State Attorney, is dated June 25.

Earlier, Court documents filed at the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra, sighted by 3news, showed that the application was submitted on June 23, 2026, by lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea on behalf of the first and third accused persons in the case titled The Republic v. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, Kwame Antwi and Akonta Mining Company Limited.

The High Court in Accra is set to deliver its judgement in the case on July 3, 2026.

However, the motion filed requests the court to postpone the delivery of judgment for what the applicants describe as a reasonable period to allow newly appointed counsel adequate time to study the case.

According to the application, the new legal team intends to obtain and review the certified records of proceedings and all documents filed in the matter before preparing a comprehensive written submission on behalf of the accused persons.

The motion argues that access to the records is necessary to enable counsel to make a credible and competent presentation of the defence's position before judgment is delivered.

But in the affidavit in opposition, Nana Ama Prempeh wrote, "That the Attorney-General is opposed to the prayer of the applicant for the deferment of judgement."

Giving reasons for the opposition, the Senior State Attorney stated as follows:

- That I am advised, and I verily believe the same to be true that the Accused Persons have, 00 june 3, 2026, closed their case and the Court adjourned for judgement.

- That the Accused Persons have been duly represented by legal counsel of their choice throughout the trial.

- That the withdrawal of legal services by the Accused Person's counsel to the Accused Persons was voluntary, amicable and, most importantly, not for cause. Attached and marked as EXHIBIT AG1 is a copy of the Al's public statement issued on June 15, 2026.

- That I am advised, and I verily believe the same to be true that under such amicable circumstances of legal service withdrawal, the proper place to procure the records of and any brief or briefing on the case is the outgoing counsel and not the Court's Registry.

- That I am advised, and I verily believe the same to be true that the decision by counsel to, without cause, abandon the proper source of obtaining the records or brief of the case and to, rather, apply to the Court's Registry is actuated by mala fides and a desire to frustrate the course of justice.

- That counsel publicly announced his assumption of the Accused Person's brief on June 15, 2025, but waited until June 22, 2026 -seven clear days later - before filing the notice of appointment in EXHIBIT A.

- That I am advised, and I verily believe the same to be true that the undue delay in taking a proper step to assume representation in the case is actuated by further mak, fides and a desire to frustrate the course of justice.

- That I ant advised, and I verily believe the same to be true that this is the proper case where this Court ought to exercise its discretion to summarily refuse the present application, as a grant thereof will constitute the Court's endorsement of abuse of its processes and public ridicule of the justice system.

- WHEREFORE I swear to this affidavit in support of this application praying for the dismissal of the Applicants' motion.