Lawyer Andy Appiah Kubi, Chairman Wontumi’s legal representative, has expressed disappointment over the AG’s decision to drop charges against the General Manager of Akonta Mining after he agreed to testify against Chairman Wontumi in court.
According to Appiah Kubi, this move by the Attorney General indicates an intention to obstruct justice.
He argued that the way the Attorney General is poaching his own accused persons suggests that there is an intent to undermine the cause of justice.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 on November 4, 2025, Appiah-Kubi stated, “… If the Attorney General, with all the materials and all the resources available to him, including human personnel, is just for him to only rely on the former accused person to prosecute a matter against one of the accused persons or some of the accused persons, and he thinks that justice may not be undermined, that is his decision.
I would have thought that his role as Minister of Justice would have persuaded him at all times to be careful that freedom and justice of the moment be served also on all the accused persons until they are proven guilty. The way that the Attorney General appears to be poaching his own accused persons suggests that there is an intent to undermine the cause of justice. We will resist the oppressor’s rule,” he said.
“We have just been served with the notice of withdrawal of the fourth accused person, so they have come under the rules of court and have every right to do so. We are going to prepare our case when they are ready. It doesn’t change our position. We have still pleaded not guilty, and we will come to prosecute the case religiously in the best of our professional expertise,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Attorney-General (AG) dropped all charges against the Manager of Akonta Mining Company Limited, Mr Edward Akuoko.
The Attorney-General’s move comes after the Akonta Mining General Manager agreed to testify for the state in Wontumi’s Tano Nimire Forest galamsey trial.
In court, the Office of the Attorney-General filed a formal notice at the Accra High Court (Criminal Division) on Monday to drop the charges in accordance with Section 59 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30).
The formal notice was signed by Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem Sai.
The notice added that Edward Akuoko had been discharged from prosecution in connection with all charges brought against him.
The Manager of Akonta Mining Company Limited was facing charges alongside four: Chairman Wontumi; Operations Manager of Akonta Mining, Kwadwo Owusu Bempah; and a co-director of the company, Kwame Antwi, who, along with Bempah, is currently said to be at large.
Meanwhile, in court, Chairman Wontumi, the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, has had two mining cases adjourned.
Wontumi’s mining cases have been adjourned to November 12 and December 4, respectively.
In the first case, which concerns Wontumi’s Akonta mining activities at Samreboi without the required approval, proceedings were adjourned to November 12.
The adjournment was requested by the prosecution to enable them to serve the defence with the necessary disclosures.
Also, in the second case, Wontumi is accused of engaging in mining operations within the Tano Nimire Forest Reserve without authorisation.
The case was postponed because the presiding judge is on leave.
Watch the video below:
Lawyer Andy Appiah Kubi, Chairman Wontumi’s legal representative, has expressed disappointment over the AG’s decision to drop charges against the General Manager of Akonta Mining after he agreed to testify against Chairman Wontumi in court.
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) November 4, 2025
According to Appiah Kubi, this move… pic.twitter.com/lqLFu2Z7ss