Martin Amidu had no intention to retrieve Woyome money - Amaliba

Former Attorney General Martin Amidu had no intention of retrieving the GHc 51 million paid Alfred Woyome, his intention was to see the former president, John Dramani Mahama out of office, private legal practitioner, lawyer Abraham Amaliba has said.

He was responding to the withdrawal by Martin Amidu at the Supreme Court to orally examine the businessman, on how he intends paying back to the state as ordered by the court, involving the GHC 51 million paid him.

The anti-corruption campaigner who had filed a case in the Supreme Court seeking permission to interrogate the embattled businessman, told the court Wednesday that he was no longer interested in the case. He explained he believes the Akufo-Addo-led administration will retrieve the state money which was wrongfully paid Woyome in judgement debt.

However, Mr. Amaliba believes the anti-corruption campaigner had no intention to retrieve the money but went on a journey to see to it that, former president Mahama was out of power and because he has successfully achieved his aim, he has withdrawn from the case. In his view, the reasons assigned by the former running mate for late Mills in 2008 are not grounded in law or legal but politically motivated. ''Martin Amidu wanted Mr. Mahama out of office and because he has succeeded in doing that, he withdrew the suit at the court. He had no intention to retrieve the money,'' he said in an interview on Rainbow Radio 87.5fm.

Background Mr. Amidu’s application became necessary after the Attorney-General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong filed processes to discontinue with her own application for an oral examination of the businessman.

The court in its ruling read by Justice Anin Yeboah said the amount in contention was colossal and no serious effort hand been made to retrieve it since a Judgment was delivered two years ago ordering the retrieval of the money. According to the court, Mr. Amidu is not retrieving the money for himself but for the State. Alfred Agbesi Woyome was ordered to appear for examination on November, 24, 2016.