General News of Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Source: starrfmonline.com with files from punchng.com & bbc

Woyome Ghc51m: Supreme Court hears AG’s application today

The Supreme Court is today, Tuesday March 31, expected to hear an application for the retrieval of the judgment debt paid to businessman Alfred Woyome.

The Attorney General Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong has begun the process for the retrieval of the GHC 51 Million following last year’s ruling by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court described the payment as illegal and ordered Mr. Woyome to refund the money to the state.

The AG has vowed to continue with the process despite some criticisms.

Mr Woyome’s accounts and assets were frozen about three years ago after he was arrested and charged for causing financial loss to the state as well as defrauding the state by false pretences with regards to the payment of the Ghc51.2 million judgment debt to him between 2009 and 2010 under Betty Mould-Iddrisu and Ebo Barton-Odro as Attorney General and Deputy, respectively.

However, he was acquitted and discharged by a High Court on two counts of defrauding by false pretences and causing financial loss to the state.

According to the presiding judge, John Ajet-Nassam, the prosecutors failed to prove Woyome fraudulently obtained the Ghc51.2 million.

Justice Ajet-Nasam also indicted the prosecution for failing to call former Attorney-General, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu; Rex Magnus Danquah, Ebo Barton-Odro, Paul Asimenu, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh and others who all had given written opinions that Woyome was entitled to the money.