The change in legal representation was announced when the matter came before the Accra High Court on Monday, July 27, 2026.

This is the second occasion in recent weeks that Appiah-Kubi has stepped away from representing the NPP chairman. He had earlier withdrawn from Wontumi’s legal team in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case.

During proceedings, lawyer Atta Akyea informed the court that he had officially assumed responsibility for Wontumi’s defence and would be leading the legal team in the EXIM Bank matter.

Although Appiah-Kubi did not state publicly why he decided to withdraw, his exit comes as Wontumi continues to face several legal challenges.

The NPP chairman has pleaded not guilty to charges related to his alleged financial dealings with the state-owned EXIM Bank and is currently contesting the allegations before the court.

Beyond the EXIM Bank prosecution, Wontumi is also appealing his conviction in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case. On July 20, 2026, the Accra High Court found him guilty of offences connected to illegal mining and sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.

His legal team has since lodged an appeal seeking to overturn both the conviction and the sentence.

With Atta Akyea now spearheading Wontumi’s defence in the EXIM Bank case, attention will be on how the new legal team handles the ongoing proceedings while pursuing the appeal in the illegal mining case.