An Accra High Court has dismissed an application by lawyers for Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, seeking an urgent hearing of a request to adjourn a motion for the deferment of judgment and a constitutional referral in the case involving him and Akonta Mining Company Limited.

Presiding judge Justice Audrey Kocuvie Tay said counsel for Chairman Wontumi, Samuel Atta Akyea, should have informed the court ahead of the proceedings if he was unable to attend.

Wontumi, Akonta Mining seek judgment deferment in criminal case as Atta Akyea travels outside Ghana

She added that she would give reasons for dismissing the application after delivering her judgment and subsequently proceeded to deliver judgment in the Samreboi case.

The substantive hearing of the application filed by Wontumi and his mining firm was originally scheduled for Monday, July 20, 2026, before Criminal Jurisdiction ‘4’ of the Accra High Court.

However, the defence team had formally written to the Court Registrar requesting a temporary postponement due to the unavailability of their lead counsel.

In a letter dated July 17, 2026, signed by Charles Boakye, Esq., on behalf of the law firm Zoe, Akyea & Co., the court was informed that Samuel Atta Akyea, who is leading the case, was outside the jurisdiction of Ghana.

The firm explained that Atta Akyea travelled for a prior personal engagement and was expected to return to the country on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

The defence therefore prayed the court to reschedule the hearing to a date after July 22, to allow the lawyer best placed to move the motion to be physically present.

Counsel for the applicants assured the trial judge that the request was made in good faith and was not intended to delay the administration of justice.

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The firm maintained that the brief postponement was aimed at ensuring that the first and third accused persons had full representation by their preferred legal counsel.

The criminal case, numbered CR/0004/2026, involves the Republic against Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining Company Limited, and a second accused person, Kwame Antwi, who remains at large.

MAG/VPO

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