Woyome Guilty Until Proven Innocent?

A basic principle of law is that accused persons are innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. But the reverse seems to be the case as far as Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome is concerned. From the moment New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) of Assin North, Kennedy Agyapong, first made the allegation of fraud against the businessman, he has been tried and sentenced in the media by politicians, journalists and media commentators across board.

Mr Alfred Woyome, who was arrested on the orders of President John Evans Atta Mills last Friday by heavily armed security officers whilst driving in traffic and has since been detained at the police headquarters in Accra, has long been ‘accused, tried and sentenced to jail’ in the media on all manner of counts including fraud, conspiracy to defraud the state by false pretences, stealing from the state and bribery among a litany of counts on the media prosecution charge sheet.

Mr Woyome, according to The Catalyst sources at the police headquarters and the Attorney general’s Department, will this morning, Monday February 9, 2012 be arranged before court on criminal charges, after being in the cooler since Friday afternoon because the police have refused him bail.

It is expected by close associates of Mr Woyome that the court will grant him bail today, all things being equal. Some however, in anonymous chat with this paper, expressed fear that Mr Woyome may continue to be held in custody after he appears before a judge, considering the political colouring of his case. A pressure group, ‘Free Alfred Woyome Campaign Movement’ has sprung up, demanding the immediate release of Mr Woyome custody. Its leader, David Tamakloe, told The Catalyst in an exclusive interview that the manner of Mr Woyome’s arrest was improper.