The lead counsel for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, Samuel Atta Akyea, has explained his absence when the Accra High Court delivered judgment to jail his client.
According to Atta Akyea, he could not miss his daughter’s graduation in the UK to attend Wontumi’s judgment.
He explained that his absence was unavoidable and was based on both personal and legal considerations.
Speaking on JoyFM’s Top Story on Tuesday, July 21, Atta Akyea stated, “It’s very unfortunate because of the hard fact that if I should let you know how personal it was for me to join my daughter who was graduating in the UK, I didn’t see how I could have absented myself”.
“There was a constitutional matter staring at the court in the face. And we wanted to move that motion, which I knew, if the judge would respect the hierarchy of the court and even the law, that reference should have been made, which would mean that I needn’t be around when a judgement is being pronounced”, he stated.
“I had not left Ghana to sort of leave my client in that kind of predicament. I left Ghana on good measure that, indeed and in fact, my daughter was graduating, and I needed to be around”, he said.
In related news, Samuel Atta Akyea has disclosed that they have put together not less than twenty grounds of appeal to overturn his client 20 year sentencing.
In a news card shared by JOYFM, Lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea was quoted as saying, “We have assembled not less than twenty grounds of appeal to overturn Wontumi’s sentence”.
In related news, Samuel Atta Akyea, speaking in an interview with Channel One Newsroom on Tuesday, July 21, disclosed that Wontumi’s legal team will file a notice of appeal against his client’s conviction and sentencing next week.
Wontumi’s Lawyer argued that there are several legal grounds to challenge the High Court’s decision.
He highlighted constitutional issues, the treatment of prosecution witnesses, and the court’s interpretation of the alleged assignment of mineral rights.
Atta Akyea also welcomed indications that the NPP legal team intends to collaborate with him in pursuing the appeal.
Samuel Atta Akyea stated, “We’ve already put together our grounds of appeal, and it’s under consideration. Immediately the conclave agrees that what we have put together is very sound, we shouldn’t waste time. I’m tempted to believe that, at the latest by next week, we should file a notice of appeal”.
“What I’ve heard, which I will not subvert, is a hard fact that the NPP legal team wants to have a collaboration with me, which I will not resent. For one simple reason that when you have a congregation of lawyers, the quality or the output is always good,” he said.
Meanwhile, Martin Kpebu, a private legal practitioner, has cast doubt on the prospects of an appeal by Chairman Wontumi, following his conviction and 20-year prison sentence.
According to Lawyer Kpebu, he sees Wontumi’s conviction as a one-way street, as he sees no strong ground to overturn the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman’s 20-year prison sentence.
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