WONTUMI TRIAL: DEFENSE ACCUSES PROSECUTION OF WITHHOLDING EVIDENCE, DEMANDS FULL DISCLOSURE
The legal team for NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako has threatened to file a formal motion compelling prosecutors to release witness statements and key documents ahead of the December 8 hearing.
The trial of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has been stalled after his legal team accused state prosecutors of failing to disclose key evidence, including statements from two recently added witnesses.
The Accra High Court adjourned the case to December 8, 2025, following a case management hearing where the prosecution appeared without submitting the required documents related to the new witnesses. The defense argues it cannot properly prepare for trial without access to these materials.
Wontumi’s lawyer, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, told journalists after the Thursday hearing that the defense team would file a motion on Monday seeking a court order to compel the prosecution to release all outstanding documents.
“At the last adjourned date, there was indication that prosecution wanted to file further documents, so we inquired whether such documents have been filed. Unfortunately, we have not been served with such documents,” Appiah-Kubi stated.
The case centers on allegations that the ruling party chairman permitted illegal mining activities on his Samreboi concession and assigned mineral rights without proper approval. The prosecution’s introduction of two additional witnesses has complicated case preparation, with the defense insisting on its right to examine all evidence before proceeding.
The adjournment marks another procedural delay in the high-profile case that has drawn significant public and political attention, reflecting ongoing tensions between legal process and political implications in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
