Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has appointed former Works and Housing Minister Samuel Atta Akyea as his new legal representative in the ongoing Samreboi illegal mining case.
The appointment comes after lawyer Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi moved to withdraw from representing Wontumi in the matter.
Appiah-Kubi had filed an application seeking to discontinue his legal representation, but Criminal Court 4 dismissed the request.
In its ruling, the court held that the application was not supported by any specific rule of court or judicial authority. The court further explained that in criminal proceedings, a lawyer does not require the court’s permission to cease representing a client, as such decisions are matters between counsel and the accused person.
The court also noted that the application had not been served on Chairman Wontumi, a factor it considered significant in arriving at its decision to dismiss the motion.
Following the development, Samuel Atta Akyea has now assumed responsibility for Wontumi’s legal defence in the case.
Despite the dispute over legal representation, the court maintained the existing timetable for the trial and directed all parties to file their final written addresses by June 24, 2026.
Judgment in the case is expected to be delivered on July 3, 2026.
The Samreboi illegal mining case is one of several legal matters currently involving Chairman Wontumi, who has recently been in the spotlight over separate criminal proceedings linked to an alleged Exim Bank loan fraud case.
