Private legal practitioner Samuel Atta Akyea has taken over as lead counsel for Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, in the alleged GH¢30 million EXIM Bank fraud case.
The change in legal representation was announced when Chairman Wontumi appeared before the Accra High Court on Monday, 27 July, with several senior members of the opposition NPP in attendance.
Addressing the court, Mr Atta Akyea said the previous lead counsel, Andy Appiah-Kubi, had withdrawn from the case and that he had assumed responsibility for representing Chairman Wontumi and his company, Wontumi Farms Limited.
“Andy Appiah-Kubi has withdrawn his legal services for Chairman Wontumi and his company, Wontumi Farms Limited, and I have assumed his role as their new lawyer,” Mr Atta Akyea told the court.
Chairman Wontumi’s appearance comes a week after he was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in a separate illegal mining case involving the Samreboi concession.
In the current case, Chairman Wontumi and Wontumi Farms Limited are facing charges in connection with an alleged GH¢30 million financial transaction involving the Ghana Export-Import (EXIM) Bank.
The court was attended by several senior NPP officials who gathered to observe the proceedings.
The latest development follows the Attorney-General’s earlier indication that it had rejected a plea bargain proposal submitted by Chairman Wontumi in relation to the EXIM Bank case.
