General News of Wednesday, 4 June 2014

Source: Daily Guide

Amidu's home burgled; suspects assassination attempt

The residence of former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Martin Alamisi Amidu, was last Thursday burgled by unknown persons.

The former AG, who has earned an enviable accolade of 'Citizen Vigilante' had his house broken into deep in the night.

Fortunately for him, nothing significant was taken away.

The items allegedly stolen by the intruders were two cushion covers on the sofa in front of his house and an abandoned old car battery.

Interestingly, the burglary that happened at Mr. Amidu's house was carried out on the same day he took some precautionary security measures to fortify the frontage of the fence wall of his house.

He had supervised masons to demolish some flower pots near the wall because they (flower pots) made it appear short and susceptible to break-ins.

Mr. Amidu has since lodged a formal complaint with the Madina police for investigations.

The Citizen Vigilante had in the past publicly stated his suspicion of the State's deliberate attempt to intimidate him over his fight against corruption.

Since he took up the fight against payment of fraudulent judgment debts to certain individuals and corporate institutions, the former Attorney General had lost face with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and party supporters.

Mr. Amidu, therefore, suspects possible assassination attempts and State surveillance on him.

The former AG is currently at the Supreme Court seeking a judicial review of the Isofoton and Woyome cases.

Woyome Case

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has set July 29 to rule on a review application brought by Mr. Amidu against businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome and the country representative of Isofoton S. A. Anane Agyei Forson.

Mr. Amidu is seeking various reliefs in the two separate cases.

Although the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in his favour in June 2013, Martin Amidu applied for Judicial Review in what he termed as miscarriage of justice.

Representing himself in court, Martin Amidu argued that the Attorney General, who is one of the respondents in the case, facilitated Waterville Holdings' "unconstitutional" acts in the construction of stadia for the CAN 2008.

The Attorney General, represented by Chief State Attorneys Dorothy Afriyie Ansah and Stella Badu, told the court that Martin Amidu was "entitled to his reliefs."

Osafo Buabeng, counsel for Woyome, filed an affidavit in opposition on the grounds that the review sought by the former AG was flawed. On the Isofoton S. A case, Carl Adongo, counsel for Anane Agyei Forson, prayed the court to strike out the review application.

Martin Amidu argued that no action was taken on the reliefs he sought against the Attorney General in the first case he filed.

He said per the judgement of June 2013, Isofoton acted unconstitutionally, saying appointing an attorney was unconstitutional in itself.

Mr. Adongo, however, argued that the court's failure to make any decision on the reliefs sought against the Attorney General amounted to making a decision.

He said his client could not be said to have acted unconstitutionally because his appointment was made long before the Supreme Court ruling of June 2013.

The eleven-member Supreme Court panel, chaired by Chief Justice Georgina Wood, adjourned both cases to 29 July for ruling.