“No Hard Feelings! Wontumi Waves Goodbye to Appiah-Kubi with a Smile”

Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has publicly thanked his former lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, following the latter’s withdrawal from representing him in his ongoing legal cases, in a gesture that appears aimed at easing speculation over tensions within his defence team.

In a message conveyed through his spokesperson, Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, Wontumi expressed appreciation for Appiah-Kubi’s legal services and wished him well, stressing that the decision to withdraw should not be interpreted as a personal disagreement. The remarks come after weeks of intense public scrutiny over the lawyer’s role in the high-profile proceedings.

The statement is widely seen as an attempt to project unity around Wontumi’s legal strategy as a new defence team takes charge of efforts to overturn his recent conviction. Veteran lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea has since assumed responsibility for the appeal process, marking the latest shift in a case that has become one of Ghana’s most closely watched political and legal battles.

The latest development follows Appiah-Kubi’s earlier disclosure that Wontumi had personally instructed him to file an appeal against the prison sentence imposed by the court before the lawyer eventually stepped away from the case. His withdrawal has fuelled public debate over the direction of the defence, although Wontumi’s latest message seeks to portray the transition as cordial and professional rather than contentious.

For investors and political observers, the evolving legal proceedings remain significant because of Wontumi’s prominence within the opposition NPP and his business interests, particularly in the mining sector. While the legal changes do not alter the substance of the appeal, they underscore the importance of continuity in representation as the case enters its next phase.