AG eyes Woyome assets over GHS51m

A charge has been put on some properties of businessman Alfred Woyome in connection with the state’s quest to retrieve GHS51.2 million from him.

The charge affects Anator Holding Company Limited, AAW Management Consulting Services, Anator Construction Company Limited, Green Township Security Services Company Limited, Woyome Brothers International Limited, Stewise Anator Company Limited, and Stewise Shipping Company Limited.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s office is in the process of examining Mr Woyome orally in court towards the retrieval of the sum, per an ex-parte motion filed on 2 June, 2017.

The oral examination is billed for 29 June, 2017.

Mr Woyome was paid the amount after dragging the state to court over the abrogation of an alleged contract he had with the government for the building of some stadia.

The Supreme Court, however, ruled subsequently that he got the money illegally and fraudulently and directed him to refund it.

Mr Woyome and the Attorney General came to an agreement about a payment plan. He started refunding the money by instalments in November last year.

Per the agreement, he was supposed to have made a second part payment of GH¢5million by April 1, 2017.

Mr Woyome is to pay Gh¢5million every four months in instalment until the final payment is made on April 1, 2019.

However, Mr Woyome, who is dissatisfied with the ruling by the Supreme Court, has resorted to two international bodies, the ICC and African Court of Justice, to determine the matter.

The AG has been served with the African Court of Justice suit through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It would be recalled that Mrs Dorothy Afriyie-Ansah, Chief State Attorney, filed a similar suit in 2016 but later filed a discontinuance based on the payment schedule the AG’s Department and Mr Woyome agreed upon, out of which a part payment of Gh¢4 million was made.

Mr Justice Anin Yeboah, a single judge hearing the case, granted the request of the AG.

Not satisfied with the AG’s discontinuance of her oral examination of the judgment debt, citizen vigilante Martin Amidu also filed a writ in 2016 to orally examine Mr Woyome as part of processes to retrieve the money.

Mr Amidu, however, withdrew his case when there was a change of government on January 7, 2017, explaining that he was confident the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government was going to pursue the matter.