Atta Akyea disputes judge's conclusions on evidence in Wontumi illegal mining case
Samuel Atta Akyea, lead counsel for Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi), challenged the High Court's assessment of evidence that led to his client's conviction in an illegal mining case. Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, Atta Akyea argued that the trial judge drew conclusions not supported by facts and that the prosecution failed to prove Wontumi sanctioned illegal mining. He stated, "I don't believe that when we are doing reclamation, you use hoes and cutlasses. So the mere fact that they are doing reclamation and they are using earth-moving equipment is not conclusive of the fact that Wontumi sanctioned mining on the concession."
Atta Akyea contended that the court wrongly inferred the presence of earth-moving equipment on the site was proof of illegal mining, as such machinery is consistent with land reclamation. He further argued that the court failed to appreciate the commercial value of land reclamation, noting that reclaimed land could be used for profitable agricultural ventures like coconut cultivation. He said, "The judge did not realise there's a lot of money in reclamation." Atta Akyea also questioned the credibility of key prosecution witnesses, claiming they were initially arrested as suspects before becoming witnesses for the prosecution, alleging the Attorney-General converted them.
Quick Summary
Samuel Atta Akyea, lead counsel for Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi), has disputed a High Court's conclusions regarding evidence in an
Summary - read the full story for complete context.
Image: MyJoyOnline
GhanaFront aggregates news from trusted sources. Click to read the original article.
Keywords
Explore related tagsMore from MyJoyOnline
Related Stories
More from Politics
Atta Akyea: Court of Appeal must review judge's interpretation of mining assignment in Wontumi Case
A key legal argument regarding mining assignments is set to be reviewed, potentially reshaping how culpability is determined in such cases.
3h ago•2 min read
Atta Akyea says AG's position supports Wontumi's no-case submission argument
Chairman Wontumi's legal team is leveraging the Attorney-General's stance to challenge the conviction-find out why this could be a game-changer.
3h ago•2 min read
Wontumi case: We can't run an ambulance justice system - Atta Akyea
Why is a prominent defense counsel warning against an "ambulance justice system" in Ghana's high-profile cases, and what implications could this
3h ago•3 min read
THE LAW 101: Inside the Defence Address for Wontumi & Akonta Mining (Part IV)
Explore the intricate legal defence mounted for Wontumi and Akonta Mining-what core issues and evidence were presented to the High Court?
1d ago•4 min read
