Woyome Begs For More Time

Lawyers of businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome are asking the Supreme Court to give the businessman some time to recover from his ill health.

The request follows a medical record submitted to the court by Osafo Boaben, lawyer for Mr.  Woyome indicating that the businessman is still unwell.

Mr. Woyome was due to appear before the court today for further oral examination by the state over the GHC 51.2 million judgement debt wrongly paid to him by the state.

This is about the third time the businessman has been absent in court.

It may be recalled that on October 16, this year, Osafo Boaben again said his client who is in the dock for questioning by the AG is indisposed.

He had submitted an excuse duty from doctors at the Accra Regional Hospital asking that the businessman be granted a two-week health leave.

But In an in camera hearing this morning, Osafo Boabeng, lawyer for Mr. Woyome is reported to have submitted some documents to the presiding Judge, Justice Alfred Anthony Benin to buttress the point that the businessman is indisposed.

This compelled the court to adjourn the much-anticipated oral examination to November 13, 2017.

Mr.  Woyome’s latest request follows the dismissal of a motion filed by his lawyers challenging the legality of the valuation of his assets by the state.

According to the court the motion as filed was without merit.

In the view of the court, the second order issued on January 6, 2016 to attach the properties of Mr. Woyome was irrelevant because the first one issued on 9 January 2015 had not been used and as such was effective

The ruling of the court had given the state the go ahead to continue to orally examine the businessman over the cash.

Lawyers of the beleaguered businessman had filed the motion in an attempt to stop the state from continuing with the ongoing valuation processes.

They had argued that the state erred in initiating the valuation processes of the properties belonging to the businessman and National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier.

Mr. Woyome is currently in a fierce legal battle with the state over attempts to recoup into the national kitty the controversial cash.

The state intends to ascertain whether or not he has the means to repay the amount.

Meanwhile, Godfred Yeboah-Dame, a Deputy Attorney-General was present in court.

Valuation

Recently, the government began a valuation of Woyome’s properties in a quest to retrieve the money wrongfully paid to him.

Some security personnel and officials from the Ghana Valuation Board, were stormed the Trasacco residence of Mr. Woyome to conduct the valuation to build concrete evidence on his ability to pay the debt for his trial.

Embargo

The judge had placed an embargo on the shares owned by the businessman in 11 companies, following his indebtedness to the state. The businesses affected include those in Anator Holding Company Limited, AAW Management Consulting Services Limited, Green Township Security Services Company Limited, Anator Construction Company Limited, Woyome Brothers International Limited and Stewise Anator Company Limited.

The rest are Stewise Shopping Company Limited, Green Townships and Industrial Parks Development Company Limited, Anator Power Company Limited, Green Townships (GH) Company Limited and Special Economic Zone International Trading Company Limited.

Source: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson