EOCO exposed in court as concocting story

...about Woyome

There is no doubt that the Economic and Organized Crime Office(EOCO) has a lot of explanation to give Ghanaians after it was revealed in an Accra Fast Track Court last week by a prosecution witness that the then President Mills never once ordered payment of the judgment debt to businessman, Alfred Woyome, to be stopped.

While presenting to President Mills the Interim Report on investigations it claims to have conducted into payment of judgment debts, Mr. Mortey Akpadzi, the Executive Director of EOCO stated eloquently in the presence of the president and the media that the former, on two occasions, ordered that payment of the judgment debt to the businessman be stopped, but his instructions were ignored by some government officials who went ahead to pay the money.

Under cross-examination on Monday, 22 July 2013, the 8th prosecution witness, Alhaji Ahmed Sulemana, the Acting Chief Director at the Ministry of Justice stated that at no time during the negotiations or payments of the money to Mr. Alfred Woyome did the president order that the payment be stopped.

Q: Now Exhibit “AA” was copied to Bebaako-Mensah; office of the president, Osu Castle. Is that not so?

A: Yes My Lord

Q: Exhibit “AG” which was tendered on the 3rd of June, written by the Attorney General to the Finance Minister was copied to the Chief of Staff; office of the president, Castle Osu.

A: Yes My Lord

Q: And that was dated?

A: 29th April, 2009

Q: Exhibit “AH” was also copied to the Chief of Staff, Attention-J.H. Martey Newman.

A: Yes My Lord

Q: Will I be right in saying that the office of the Chief of Staff had knowledge of the various correspondences in respect of this claim.

A: Yes My Lord, on the face of the letter that is what it says.

Q: Exhibit “AG” written on the 29th of April and copied to the Chief of Staff was before the first installment was paid to the accused.

A: Yes My Lord, that is 29th April, 2009.

Q: From your records, did the office of the Chief of Staff indicate by writing its objection to payment of the accused.

A: To the best of my knowledge no.

Q: So Exhibit “AH” where the Attorney General in the last paragraph indicated that an amount of GHc17,094,493.53 should be paid to the accused, Mr. Henry Martey Newman – Chief of Staff was aware.

A: From the records, yes My Lord.

Woyome issued a press statement (yesterday) accusing the head of EOCO, Mortey Akpadzi of concocting the story that the late President Mills twice ordered payments to Mr. Alfred Woyome to be stopped. Below is the statement in full

“We deem it pertinent and appropriate to issue this statement as Ghana commemorates the One-Year

Anniversary of the passing on to glory of our beloved President, H.E. Professor John Evans Atta Mills. Our statement sets the record straight in relation to the lies and fabrications contained in the supposed “Interim Report on Payment of Judgment Debts ...” issued by Mr. Akpadzi and his cohorts on 1st February, 2012.

EOCO as a public service organisation is set up by an Act (Act 804 of 2010, in line with Article 190 (1) (d) of the 1992 Constitution) to perform very specific duties in the interest of the Republic of Ghana. I would expect whoever is appointed to that noble office to have very clean records, be truthful and be unbiased in the performance of their duties. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of Mr. Akpadzi and his cohorts who wickedly and viciously 'cooked' the EOCO report and lied that the late Prez ordered payment to be stopped on two occasions.

In loving memory of the late Prez, I am putting on record that Mortey Akpadzi lied to Ghanaians when he said Prof. J. E. A. Mills tried to stop payment on two occasions, but his officials went ahead to make payment. It is rather unfortunate that some politicians and some so-called 'senior' journalists, who should know better, keep referring to the 'cooked' EOCO report just in an attempt to undermine the authority of the late Prez.

Mr. Mortey Akpadzi before he presented the 'bogus' report claimed that "whatever we have presented is fully backed by the documents we have on hand..."

I am challenging Akpadzi and his collaborates to come out and tell Ghanaians how and when the late Prez. Prof. J. E. A. Mills tried to or stopped the court ordered judgment to Mr. Woyome. They should prove with documents to that effect.

Recent revelations coming out from the courts clearly exposed the wicked lies and manipulations of Mortey Akpadzi and his gang.

The eighth prosecution witness from the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Suleiman Ahmed testifying in the criminal trial told the court in answer to a question posed to him by counsel for Mr. Woyome that NOBODY FROM THE PRESIDENCY AT THE TIME, NOT EVEN THE LATE PRESIDENT GAVE AN ORDER FOR THE PAYMENT TO BE STOPPED. Certainly, there is no documentation to that effect.

I find it extremely difficult to understand how Mr. Akpadzi and his gang were able to, by their imagination; deliberately concoct such a story to feed Ghanaians through their 'bogus' Interim Report of 1st February, 2012 just to cause public disaffection towards the late President and to serve their evil motives.

Mortey Akpadzi and his gang must on this occasion of Prof. Mills' first anniversary pray for forgiveness and openly tell Ghanaians the truth before the wrath of God comes upon them for using the name of the late Prez to settle their selfish and wicked political interest and scores. I will surely expose Mr. Akpadzi and his gang for their nefarious activities at EOCO.

These questions have been begging for answers in my mind:

1. When the late Prez ordered EOCO to investigate and also find out the total amount of monies paid out as judgment debt since his administration took over the reins of Government on 7th of January, 2009 and who the beneficiaries are.... Did he direct that EOCO should rush and cook a report on Mr. Woyome?



2. Does it go to mean that Mr. Woyome was the only person who was paid judgment debt since January 7th, 2009?



3. When is the final and conclusive report going to be made available for Ghanaians to know the truth or otherwise of this matter?



4. What does Mr. Mortey Akpadzi and his gang mean when they titled the 'bogus' report as "Interim Report on Payment of Judgment Debts Since January 7, 2009"? I wonder why he did not think it’s wise to even expand his investigation to the entire CAN 2008, which may even include Waterville and other entities that worked on the project.



5. Is it true that Mr. Mortey Akpadzi was also in court seeking for judgment debt as at the same time that Mr. Woyome was in court to claim what rightfully belonged to him, but failed? I hope the discerning Ghanaian public is demanding justice in this case and would want EOCO to come out and state their position on this matter.”