Private legal practitioner and Executive Director of the Center for Legitimacy and Rule of Law, Richard Nii Armah, has stated that the July 3 date scheduled for the delivery of judgement in the Samreboi case is highly unlikely to hold.
In his professional opinion, the Ghanaian public should instead expect the court’s final decision to be delivered in October 2026.
His remarks come in the wake of a decision by Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to appoint Mr. Atta Akyea as his new defense counsel.
Mr. Armah believes this late substitution is a calculated strategy deployed by the accused and his legal team to derail the upcoming July 3 judgment and push the proceedings into the final quarter of the year.
Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, the legal practitioner indicated that the newly appointed counsel will almost certainly leverage court technicalities to buy more time.
Specifically, the new lawyer is expected to apply for an adjournment to thoroughly study the case brief, familiarise himself with the facts, and properly understand the nuances of the matter to provide the best possible legal representation.
Mr. Armah further posited that the dynamics of this case are multifaceted, opening the door for new issues to emerge, including a scenario where the new defense team applies to recall witnesses who have already been discharged.
Addressing the ethics of the situation, Richard Nii Armah noted that the lawyer-client relationship is not set in stone, meaning that anyone who decides to part ways with their legal counsel at the dying minutes of a pending case is legally permitted to do so.
“Wontumi hired the services of Andy Appiah-Kubi but unfortunately the lawyer says he can no longer offer services to the client. He cannot be forced to continue that job ajd that is why he has appointed a new lawyer. However the case will continue. It also bothers on the fundamental human rights of the acscus3d which could affect his liberties and freedoms and could even get him sent to jail. Therefore he has the right to a fair trail. He has to be given the opportunity to defend himself. Nothing currently shows that the ruling will not be delivered. However, from what I have observed, because Andy Appiah-Kubi has stepped aside and Atta Akyea has taken over, he may need time to familiarise himself with the case so he can provide the best defence for his client or accused person.
Before a judge deliver a ruling, parties are allowed to file written submissions and so the new lawyer taking over needs time to file these submissions. So there is a higher possibility Atta Akyea will make that request and when granted it may push the ruling October. I am not a prophet but I can predict that the ruling will be pushed to October mainly influenced by the legal action which will start in July,” he added.
Clarifying the sudden shakeup, Mr. Armah explained that Andy Appiah-Kubi’s decision to withdraw from the matter stemmed from personal concerns he had with the court itself, rather than any friction with his client.
While he stressed that the presiding judge reserves the ultimate right to deny any request for more time, Mr. Armah maintained that fairness dictates the court must grant the new counsel some breathing room given the severe gravity of the charges and the liberties at stake.
In such situations, judges typically grant these requests to ensure the defense is fully prepared.
Beyond just reviewing documents, there remains a distinct possibility that Atta Akyea could file a formal motion to recall discharged witnesses for further cross-examination, reinforcing the premise that this transition is a calculated strategy to extend the timeline of the trial.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana