Embargo placed on Woyome’s shares in 11 companies

The Supreme Court has placed an embargo on the shares owned by the businessman, Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome, in 11 companies, following his GH¢51.2 million indebtedness to the state.

Shares of the businessman affected include those in Anator Holding Company Limited, AAW Management Consulting Services Limited, Green Township Security Services Company Limited, Anator Construction Company Limited, Woyome Brothers International Limited and Stewise Anator Company Limited.

The rest are Stewise Shopping Company Limited, Green Townships and Industrial Parks Development Company Limited, Anator Power Company Limited, Green Townships (GH) Company Limited and Special Economic Zone International Trading Company Limited.

Per the order, Mr Woyome must appear before the court on June 29, 2017 to explain why the embargo should not be made permanent.

“A copy of the order should be served on the said judgement/debtor to appear before this court on Thursday, 29th June, 2017 to show cause why the charging order should not be made absolute,’’ the order stated.

The Supreme Court order, granted by Mr Justice A.A. Benin, sitting as a sole judge, was in relation to a motion filed by the Attorney-General (A-G) on May 17, 2017 praying the court to impose a “charging order” on all the shares owned by the businessman in the 11 companies.

Oral examination

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ordered Mr Woyome to appear before it on June 29, 2017 to be orally examined by the A-G with regard to the GH¢51.2 million debt.

The order followed a motion filed by the A-G on June 2, 2017, praying the court to be given the opportunity to orally examine the businessman

The oral examination, the court ordered, would border on whether Mr Woyome owed the state any debt and whether he had “any property for satisfying the judgement of this court, dated July 29, 2014’’.

Also, the oral examination, according to the court, would be premised on whether the businessman “has any means of satisfying the judgement of this court, dated July 29, 2014’’ and the manner in which he “used the money paid to him by the Republic of Ghana’’.

Mr Amidu’s legal warfares

In the said July 29, 2014 judgement, the Supreme Court had ordered the businessman to refund the GH¢51.2 million judgement debt which was paid to him between 2009 and 2010.

According to the court, Mr Woyome had no valid contract with the state and, therefore, did not deserve the money paid him.

The legal action which gave rise to the judgement was initiated by a former A-G, Mr Martin Amidu.

Since the judgement, Mr Amidu, known as ‘Citizen vigilante’, had mounted a number of legal warfares to ensure that Mr Woyome refunded the money to the state.

In 2016, he filed an action at the Supreme Court to be given the opportunity to orally examine Mr Woyome over how he (Woyome) intended to repay the money.

The move was after the then A-G had discontinued the request to orally examine the businessman after the two parties had agreed on a payment module in which Mr Woyome paid GH¢4 million.

Although the Supreme Court granted his prayer, Mr Amidu abandoned the oral examination when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) won the 2016 elections.

According to him, the NPP had promised to retrieve the money as a matter of urgency and, therefore, there was the need for him to give the government the space to do so.