Kpebu links Wontumi's Samreboi case setback to NPP's attacks on ORAL

Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has suggested that the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) sustained criticism of the Attorney General and the government's flagship anti-corruption initiative, Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), may be contributing to the opposition being faced by Bernard Antwi Boasiako's legal team in court.

Speaking on TV3's The Key Points on June 27, 2026, Kpebu said the NPP's repeated claims that "ORAL is dead" may have influenced the Attorney General's decision to oppose a request by Wontumi's new lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, for deferment of judgement in the Samreboi case.

"The NPP coined this mantra that 'ORAL is dead.' Today, Wontumi is facing judgment and is asking for an extension. If they hadn't put pressure on the government by saying ORAL is dead, Wontumi could have had this extension easily," he said.

According to Kpebu, it is standard legal practice for courts to grant a brief adjournment when a litigant engages a new lawyer.

"Once a new lawyer comes on board, it's easy to get an adjournment. But because of all those things, it's now coming back to bite them," he stated.

Despite his observations, Kpebu said he supported the request for an adjournment and urged the court to grant Atta Akyea sufficient time to prepare.

"I support his adjournment request. The judge should grant him a bit of time. Ghana is not coming to an end. Forget about what they did when they were in government. The judge should show leadership and be a father to all by granting the adjournment," he said.

Kpebu also pointed to the judicial calendar, noting that there was still adequate time before the legal vacation.

"We still have about three weeks before the courts go on vacation. The judgment is slated for Friday, July 3, but that is a public holiday. While the judge could sit on that day, I don't think he would because of the political circumstances. Most likely, the matter will come up on Monday, July 6," he explained.

Attorney General opposes Atta Akyea’s bid to defer Wontumi’s Samreboi case judgment

He argued that there would still be sufficient time before the courts begin their vacation at the end of July to accommodate the request.

"The Attorney General is opposing the application because of what they did to him. They were trolling him, saying 'ORAL is dead.' Otherwise, any experienced legal practitioner will tell you that when a new lawyer comes into a case, you ordinarily grant some time for preparation," he said.

Kpebu maintained that the NPP's attacks on the government's anti-corruption programme may have made it more difficult for the Attorney General to support the application.

"If not because of their attitude, this is something that ordinarily would have been granted. But when you spend time trolling a government's flagship anti-corruption programme, that's the kind of response you should expect from the Attorney General," he added.

He reiterated his support for the request, saying, "I support his call for an adjournment to give him time."

Background

The application for deferment was filed on June 23, 2026, at the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra. It is on behalf of the first and third accused persons in the case titled "The Republic v. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, Kwame Antwi and Akonta Mining Company Limited."

Defence counsel Atta Akyea is asking the court to postpone the judgment for a reasonable period to allow the newly constituted legal team to obtain and review certified records of proceedings and all relevant documents.

According to the defence, this is necessary to enable them to fully understand the case and file comprehensive written submissions before judgment is delivered.

The High Court is expected to deliver its judgment in the matter on July 3, 2026.