Gov’t Grabs Woyome Assets Over GH¢51.2 Million Judgment Debt

It appears the drama surrounding the controversial GH¢51.2 million judgement debt paid embattled businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome is not ending anything soon.

The latest scene to the sequel indicates that the government has found properties of which can be used to defray the rest of his he owes the state.

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court last mouth ordered U.T Bank and one Abena Akyea to proof that some properties the state claims belongs to the businessman are actually theirs.

The properties in question include a quarry in the Volta Region and residential facilities at Trasacco and Tesano in Accra.

The state has so far earmarked the properties among others it hopes to get the Apex Court’s backing to sell off to defray the GH¢51.2 million the Supreme has asked Mr. Woyome to refund to the state.

Government’s bid to retrieve the rest of the money, has been met with suits after suits even though the court has also ordered Mr. Woyome to present himself in court for cross-examination to show his properties.

So far, the oral examination which commenced last year aimed at helping the state to identify Mr. Woyome’s assets has also stalled.

In the course of the examination, Mr Woyome took the matter to the African Human and People’s Right Court in Arusha [Tanzania] that his rights were being violated.

The judges stayed a verdict on the Woyome case Amidu brought before them because the matter was pending before the High Court.

He later went on a review and had the court rule in his favour. Woyome was asked to refund the ¢51 million to the state.

Although, the businessman has coughed up just GH¢4.6 million of the debt owed the State, Ms. Gloria Akuffo is quoted as having stated that the stae had discovered some assets of Mr. Woyome.

“People should know that this is not about politics…it is about justice. The court has made a decision that he is liable to pay an amount to the state which he is resisting. Natural justice requires that he is heard which is what is going on.

“I can say that we are not relenting on our efforts to retrieve the money and I am hopeful that the time will come to retrieve the money…even legal hurdles have their ends,” she said.

According to the Attorney General, the trial is not about political expediency but rather they want to ensure that they do the right thing.

Mr Woyome was paid ¢51 million for helping Ghana raise funds to construct stadia for purposes of hosting the CAN 2008 Nations Cup.

However, an Auditor General’s report released in 2010 said the amount was paid illegally to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier.

There have been many legal tussles to retrieve the money.

Former AG, Martin Amidu, however, proceeded to the Supreme Court as a private citizen and managed to retrieve for the state millions of cedis said to have been paid illegally to Mr Woyome.

“Mr Woyome had created the impression that he has used all his money to pay legal fees and has very little left but we have reason to believe that he has the means to pay back,” Mrs Akuffo said.

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson