Lawyers for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and his company Akonta Mining Limited, have filed an urgent application at the High Court seeking to defer judgment in their ongoing illegal mining trial.

The application, filed before Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay on June 23, 2026, is asking the court to postpone the scheduled July 3 judgment to allow newly appointed counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea, adequate time to study the case record and prepare written submissions.

According to court documents, the request follows the withdrawal of the defendants’ previous lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, who stepped down from the case on June 11, 2026, citing dissatisfaction with the court’s handling of proceedings. He had represented Mr Antwi-Boasiako since October 2025.

In an affidavit supporting the motion, Mr Atta Akyea explained that the defence closed its case on June 3, after which the court adjourned to July 3 for judgment. He argued that the sudden change in counsel at a critical stage has left the accused persons without adequate legal preparation for the final phase of proceedings.

“The progression of this criminal trial should be a thorough perusal of the record of proceedings and other processes which should be the basis of a serious perusal, research and the filing of a credible and competent written submission,” he stated.

The defence also invoked Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution, arguing that the accused persons are entitled to a fair hearing, which includes effective legal representation at every stage of criminal proceedings.

“The Republic is ably represented by the Hon. Attorney-General and his formidable team… who will put together a written submission ostensibly to hammer out the guilt of the accused persons,” the affidavit noted.

Mr. Atta Akyea further told the court that despite filing a notice of appearance and requesting certified copies of the case record, the registrar had not yet made the documents available, limiting his ability to review the proceedings.

He maintained that the application is not intended to delay justice, but to ensure adequate preparation and fairness before judgment is delivered.

“The sole purpose of this application is to enable me to obtain and peruse the record of proceedings before judgment is delivered,” he said.

He added that granting the request would not prejudice the Republic but would instead strengthen confidence in the judicial process by ensuring full legal representation.

The case involves allegations that Akonta Mining Limited conducted illegal mining activities within the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve at Samreboi without the required approvals from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. The prosecution says the company continued operations despite being denied permission in August 2022, allegedly affecting about thirteen hectares of land.

The matter has already gone through full trial proceedings, with both prosecution and defence calling witnesses.

The High Court is now expected to rule on whether to grant the application or proceed with the scheduled judgment on July 3, 2026.