The high-profile criminal trial involving the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (popularly known as Chairman Wontumi), and Akonta Mining Company Limited, has hit another roadblock.

The defense team has formally requested an urgent adjournment of court proceedings scheduled for Monday, July 20, 2026.The request, submitted in a letter to the Court Registrar, cites the sudden unavailability of their lead defense counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea. 

According to the defense, the prominent attorney and former lawmaker has traveled outside the jurisdiction of Ghana for a personal engagement and is expected to return to the country on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.Constitutional Referral and Strategy to Delay Judgment.

The Accra High Court was strictly scheduled to rule on a critical motion today, July 20. Filed by Atta Akyea on July 16, the motion seeks a stay of the final judgment and a constitutional referral to the Supreme Court.

In a massive 50-page written address, the defense argues that Section 14(1) of Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act (Act 703)—the exact provision anchoring the state's prosecution — is legally vague and unconstitutional. They are praying the High Court to refer the statutory interpretation to the apex court or, alternatively, completely acquit and discharge the accused individuals.Backstory of the Samreboi Galamsey Case.

The ongoing trial centers on a six-count criminal charge filed by the Attorney-General's Office against Chairman Wontumi, Akonta Mining Company Limited, and an associate, Kwame Antwi, who has evaded arrest and remains at large. The state alleges that the accused permitted, facilitated, and executed unauthorized, illegal mining operations (galamsey) within Samreboi in the Western Region.The state's prosecution team previously expressed its absolute readiness to receive the final verdict, fiercely opposing prior attempts by the defense to derail the case.

Prosecutors have noted that the trial properly concluded after the defense called its final witness in June. However, this latest development regarding Atta Akyea’s international travel has effectively frozen the high court's ability to deliver its scheduled judgment while the trial judge reviews the adjournment request.