Lead Counsel for NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, Samuel Atta Akyea, says the legal team is expected to file a notice of appeal against his client’s conviction and sentencing next week.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Tuesday, July 21, after Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Mr. Atta Akyea disclosed that the grounds for the appeal had already been prepared and were currently under review by the defence team.
He explained that once the legal team completes its review and reaches a final decision, the appeal process will begin immediately.
“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,” he said.
Mr. Atta Akyea said the defence team believes there are several legal grounds to challenge the High Court’s decision, including constitutional issues, the handling of prosecution witnesses, and the court’s interpretation of the alleged assignment of mineral rights.
He also welcomed plans by the NPP legal team to collaborate with him in pursuing the appeal, describing the involvement of more lawyers as beneficial to the legal process.
“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.
The High Court in Accra on Monday, July 20, convicted Chairman Wontumi on two counts in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
The offences relate to the unlawful assignment of mineral rights without approval from the Minister responsible for Lands and Natural Resources, as well as facilitating illegal mining activities on Akonta Mining’s Samreboi concession.
The court also imposed a fine of 10,000 penalty units on each count against Chairman Wontumi, while Akonta Mining Limited, which was convicted on two counts, was fined 15,000 penalty units on each count.
