General News of Tuesday, 22 July 2014

Source: GNA

‘Judgment debt paid to Woyome was illegal’

Mr Mathew Amponsah, Chief State Attorney, on Monday told the Financial Court hearing the case of Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome, a businessman that the judgement debt paid to the accused person was illegal.

He alleged that the accused person obtained the judgement from a court of competent jurisdiction by fraud.

Mr Amponsah made this known during a cross-examination of the accused in Accra.

He said government never engaged the accused person on any project as is being alleged.

The State prosecutor asked the accused person whether he paid tax from the monies paid to him by the government, since payment of tax was voluntary but invasion of tax was an offence.

Mr Amponsah said a check conducted at the Registrar General’s Department indicated that, the accused person’s mention of M-power Pack being a Ghanaian registered company was false.

In response to the questions, Mr Woyome said it was not true, because the prosecution wrote a wrong company name and that made them to receive the wrong answer from the department.

He said M-power pack is a Ghanaian registered company that has worked and paid tax over the years to government.

He said he took default judgement from the court and by compromise from government; the money was paid voluntarily into his account.

Mr Woyome said he was advised by his lawyers that no taxes are paid on judgment debts.

Mr Woyome is standing trial for defrauding by false pretences and causing financial loss to the State.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and is on a GH ?20 million bail with three sureties to be justified.

The court presided over by Mr Justice John Ajet-Nassam adjourned the case to July 24 for continuation of the cross examination.