Samuel Atta Akyea, Lead Counsel for NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has noted that the legal team is expected to file a notice of appeal against his client’s conviction and sentencing next week.
Speaking on the Channel One Newsroom on Tuesday, July 21, after Chairman Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Mr Atta Akyea said the grounds of appeal had already been prepared and were being reviewed by the legal team.
According to him, once the lawyers conclude their review and agree on the way forward, the appeal process will commence without delay.
“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 maintained that the defence team believes there are several legal grounds to challenge the High Court’s decision, including constitutional issues, the treatment of prosecution witnesses, and the court’s interpretation of the alleged assignment of mineral rights.
He also welcomed indications that the NPP legal team intends to collaborate with him in pursuing the appeal, saying a collective legal effort would strengthen the 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 in prison on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
The offences include unlawfully assigning mineral rights without approval from the Minister responsible for Lands and Natural Resources and facilitating illegal mining activities on the company’s Samreboi concession.
The court also fined Wontumi 10,000 penalty units on each count, while Akonta Mining Limited, which was convicted on two counts, was fined 15,000 penalty units on each count.
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