General News of Monday, 13 February 2012

Source: GNA

Woyome granted GHc54 million bail

Accra, Feb. 13, GNA – The Financial Division of the Accra Fast Track High Court on Monday granted Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome, the businessman at the centre of the controversial judgement debt payment saga a GHc54 million bail.

Mr Woyome was arrested for his controversial GHc51 million judgment debt payment on Friday, February 3.

In the dock with him were Samuel Neequaye-Tetteh, Chief State Attorney at the Attorney General's Department, Paul Asimenu, Head of Legal Duties, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Gifty Neequaye-Tetteh, a businesswoman.

Charged with conspiracy and defrauding by false pretences and corrupting a public officer, Mr Woyome pleaded not guilty.

Asimenu and Neequaye-Tetteh who are being held for corruption of public officer and abetment of crime, have also denied the charges.

Mr Woyome was arrested by the Police on Friday, February 3, a police source told the Ghana News Agency.

His arrest was recommended by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) which issued its interim report on the matter to President John Evans Atta Mills on Thursday, February 2.

Mr Woyome was held at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Headquarters in Accra, where scores of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters occasionally besieged and demanded his immediate release. Dr Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Mr Richard Quashigah, Propaganda Secretary of the Party, were also at the Police Headquarters.

Mr Woyome has resigned his position as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBBSI) to allow for investigations into the matter.

Police sources said Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrissu, Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, as well as Senior Officials of the Attorney General’s Department and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, would also be invited for questioning in connection with the report.