Private legal practitioner Andy Appiah-Kubi has withdrawn as counsel for New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, in the ongoing criminal case involving EXIM Bank.
The development emerged when the case was called at the Accra High Court on Monday, July 27, 2026, following a similar withdrawal by the former Asante Akyem North MP from Wontumi’s defence team in the Samreboi illegal mining case.
Adom News’ Thomas Adjei, who was in court, reported that the withdrawal clears the way for former Abuakwa South MP and private legal practitioner Samuel Atta Akyea to take over as lead counsel in the EXIM Bank case.
Although no reasons were publicly given for Mr Appiah-Kubi’s decision to step aside, Mr Atta Akyea informed the court that he had officially assumed responsibility for Chairman Wontumi’s defence and would lead the legal team going forward.
Chairman Wontumi is standing trial over allegations involving financial dealings with the state-owned EXIM Bank. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The EXIM Bank case is separate from his recent conviction in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case, in which the Accra High Court sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour after finding him guilty of offences related to illegal mining activities.
His legal team has since filed a notice of appeal challenging both the conviction and the sentence, arguing that the trial court erred in law and that the punishment imposed was excessive.
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