Opinions of Sunday, 20 October 2013

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Are the State Attorneys not Conniving with the Government to Set Woyome Free?

The more I try to comport myself to respect certain State institutions, the more such institutions prove themselves irresponsible beyond the stretch of human imagination. One of those institutions is the Ghana judiciary, and of course, the Office of the Attorney General.

? I have been following the case of Alfred Agbesi Woyome, the Ghanaian swindler of the Century, with keen interest. I have long ago come to the realisation that the very people or office expected to prosecute Woyome for the retrieval of the money (GHC51.2 Million) he so dubiously obtained from Ghana, are the same persons assisting him to get off the hook. Whenever his case is due for hearing, the very State Attorneys assigned to proceed to Court to prosecute him always come up with flimsy excuses that compel the judge to adjourn the hearing. This has led to the case dragging on at snail’s pace. Their seeming despicable collusive actions are to infuriate the trial judge so that he throws out the case for lack of evidence and lack of seriousness on the part of the government, the Attorney General, so to speak.

? In the eyes of many a Ghanaian, the State Attorneys working on the Woyome case have proved themselves very disappointing, dishonest, unprofessional and conniving crooks. It is obvious the government is manipulating them to ensure the trial does not come to any conclusive end to have Woyome refunded the money and or incarcerated for his crime of swindling against Ghana.

? I will ensure Woyome face justice no matter how long it takes or how far the government influences the prosecution attorneys to do otherwise.

? When I read on Ghanaweb under the "Crime & Punishment" - of Friday, 18 October 2013, how a Circuit Court judge in Tarkwa has sentenced a 22-year old man to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour for snatching someone’s cell phone, I could not believe my eyes. Assuming the man is a notorious criminal persistently stealing cell (mobile) phones, the judge is right to give him custodial sentence to deter him and others from engaging in such criminal activities. However, the duration of the custodial sentence is ridiculous. It is far too long and out of proportion compared to other more serious crimes committed by others in the society e.g., Alfred Agbesi Woyome.

? How sensible is the judge when he sentences the thief, one Kofi Adjei, an unemployed, who was not armed with a weapon but steals a mobile phone worth GHC200 to 10 years imprisonment while Alfred Agbesi Woyome walks the streets of Ghana a free man, spends holidays in the US as and when he chooses, having duped Ghana out of GHC51.2 Million? ? Some Ghana judges sentence people to years in prison when they steal fowl, goat, sheep or farm produce but let some armed robbers or people like Woyome go scot free. I find this attitude by our judges very corrupt, nonsensical, unprofessional and not serious on their part as judges that can be trusted to deliver justice. I do not support people committing crimes against their neighbours or the State, but I find the on-going selective justice in Ghana very annoying. "Woyome de€ 3nk3, Kofi Adjei de€ nnebo dwe". What a similitude of the proverb –"Nyanyankyer€ de€ 3nnk3 3k3t3 de€ nnebo dwe"

? Is Ghana judiciary that corrupt, unprofessional and unjust? I shall come out with a plan on how to force the hand of President John Mahama to compel his Attorney General to expedite work on the prosecution of Alfred Agbesi Woyome. It is a shame that there are so many bad nuts in the Ghana judiciary.

? Those State Attorneys playing tricks on Ghanaians in attempt to set Woyome free must be mindful of their actions because the BIG BROTHER is watching them from afar. Do you think they care about who is watching them? If Justice Atuguba could not care even though the whole world was watching the court proceedings on Election 2012 petition live on the airwaves, to deliver his shameful judgment, do you think the State attorneys would mind helping Woyome walk away a free man? ?

Woyome was in Court on Wednesday, 16 October 2013. However, the State Attorney assigned to prosecute him was late. Therefore, the hearing has been adjourned to 29 October 2013. Always the State Attorneys cause the postponements of the case. All their evil plots will be exposed in the end.

? I dedicate this article to Brother Martin Amidu and Hon. Kennedy Akompreko Agyapong for their dedicated service to Mother Ghana. ? ? We live to see! HATE ME, BUT FOR A GOOD REASON! ? ? Rockson Adofo ? ?