Courtroom proceedings took an unexpected turn when Mildred Donkor, the third accused in the ongoing criminal trial involving Kwabena Adu-Boahene, informed the court that she no longer wished to be represented by Lawyer Atta Akyea.
The announcement was made in open court as Donkor raised her hand to notify the presiding judge of her decision. She also indicated that a new lawyer would be appointed to represent her.
Speaking to the media after the session, Lawyer Atta Akyea said he was not shocked by the move. “I wasn’t too surprised. Thirty-two years down the line, I’ve never forced myself on a client. I didn’t know what was going through her mind,” he said.
While he expressed some disappointment, Akyea clarified that the trial had not yet begun in earnest. “We’ve not even started. So how can it be a fault? The case has not started. We’ve not done anything. It’s the same [lawyer] who secured the bail for her,” he noted.
Akyea also voiced concerns about the conduct of the trial. “It seems to me that somebody believes that let’s expedite the case, even if all the exculpatory evidence are not with the accused persons,” he said, pointing to what he views as a disregard for fair trial procedures.
He further criticized what he described as an “ambulance mode” approach by the Attorney General. “I believe it’s as if we are in an ambulance mode to get these people jailed. I will never withdraw that.
That’s my sense of it,” he said, adding that he believes the prosecution is not giving the defence adequate time or resources to mount a full legal defence.
The court has yet to confirm who will take over Donkor’s defence.
The trial, being prosecuted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, involves three accused persons, including businessman Kwabena Adu-Boahene. Proceedings are scheduled to continue next week.
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