The Accra High Court has begun delivering it judgement in the case involving Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi in the Samreboi illegal mining case.
The High Court dismissed an application by lawyers for NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, seeking to defer judgment.
The High Court dismissed Atta Akyea’s application seeking to defer judgment aspects of the case to the Supreme Court for constitutional interpretation, before proceeding to deliver its judgment in the Samreboi mining case.
The presiding judge, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, ruled that the application for adjournment lacked merit after defence counsel informed the court that substantive lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea was out of the country and would return on July 22.
Justice Kocuvie-Tay refused the request, stating that if counsel had a prior engagement, the court ought to have been informed earlier.
“The law on adjournment is for the convenience of the court and lies within the discretion of the court. This court cannot grant the request. The application for adjournment is refused,” the judge ruled.“The court has discretion on how a motion should be dealt with. The application need not necessarily be moved. Once the application is filed, it is properly before the court. I deem it moved,” Justice Kocuvie-Tay said.
Justice Kocuvie-Tay subsequently dismissed the application, proceeding with the delivery of judgment.
The development follows Samuel Atta Akyea, the lawyer for Wontumi, who has written to the Court Registrar requesting a temporary postponement due to his unavailability as lead counsel.
It will be recalled that Atta Akyea had earlier filed an urgent request for the adjournment of a motion seeking the deferment of judgment and a constitutional referral of the case involving Wontumi and Akonta Mining Company Limited.
On July 17, 2026, in a letter signed by Charles Boakye, Esq on behalf of the legal firm Zoe, Akyea & Co address to the court, read, “We act as Counsel for the 1st and 3rd Accused persons/Applicants in the intituled matter.
We respectfully write to inform the Court that the substantive hearing of the 1st and 3rd Accused Persons’ application for deferment of judgment and constitutional referral has been scheduled for Monday, the 20th of July 2026.
We regret to state that learned Counsel who is seised with the conduct of the matter, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, Esg., is presently outside the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ghana on a prior personal engagement and will return to the country on Wednesday, the 22nd day of July 2026.
In the circumstances, we respectfully pray that the hearing of the said application be adjourned to a date after the 22nd day of July 2026 to enable learned Counsel, who is fully seised with the conduct of this case and is best placed to move the application, to be present before the Court.
We respectfully assure the Court that this request is made in utmost good faith and not with the intention of delaying the proceedings, but solely to afford the 1st and 3rd Accused persons the opportunity to have their application argued by Counsel with conduct of the matter.
We shall be grateful if this request is placed before the learned trial Judge for her consideration.
We thank you for your usual cooperation”.
However, reports suggest the state has confirmed its preparedness to appear before the court for proceedings as there has been no formal communication for an adjournment.
A social media post read, “After bringing a Motion for stay and reference to the Supreme Court for interpretation which has been scheduled for Monday, July 20, Lawyer for the accused, Samuel Atta Akyea has caused his Firm to write to the Court saying that he’s out of the jurisdiction and wants the Motion to be taken at a later date.
“Meanwhile, judgment is scheduled for the same date, Monday, July 20.
“The Republic will be in Court for proceedings of the day as there has been no formal communication of adjournment”.
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