GHC4m cheque not fake; I was just 'confused about recipient' - Woyome

Businessman Alfred Woyome has refuted claims by former Attorney General Martin Amidu that a GHC4million cheque he issued as part payment of the controversial GHS51.5million judgment debt, which he has been ordered by the Supreme Court to refund to the state, was a phoney cheque concocted by the government to hoodwink Ghanaians.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, 18 November, Mr Woyome said: “…I don’t think I here, as a citizen, proud one of course, will try to play a prank on fellow Ghanaians. No, not at all! The so-called cheque was written by me. I made a cheque without writing who it’s meant for because I was confused as to who should be the recipient and after a meeting with the Attorney General in the presence of the Solicitor-General ….”

On Thursday, Mr Amidu said the Government of Ghana concocted the GHC4million part payment story and the cheque.

“Does the Ghana government believe us to be so easily fooled that they concoct Woyome part payments of the judgment debt as smoke and mirrors for their election campaign? The people of Ghana should demand to know from government how its Attorney General can – in enforcing the order of the Supreme Court for Woyome to refund the unconstitutional payments made to Woyome to the Republic of Ghana – accept a cheque of GHS 4,000,000.00 drawn by Woyome dated 4th November, 2016 in favour of the Economic and Organised Crime Office as part payment of the monies ordered by the Court to be refunded, Mr Amidu said in a statement.

“The Attorney General accepted the Economic and Organised Crime Office cheque from Woyome and gave a receipt acknowledging the payment “as part payment for the Judgment Debt of GHS51, 283,483.59”. The Access Bank (GH) East Cant cheque number 890081 and the Attorney General’s receipt which were exhibited to the Attorney General’s affidavit sworn by the Attorney General herself on 9th November 2016 as Exhibits “AG 7” and “AG7A” are attached herewith in PDF for the public to judge how any Attorney General, worth the name, can accept a cheque drawn on the Economic and Organized Crime Office which was not party to the action as part payment of the refund ordered by the court on 29th July, 2014 for the Republic,”

Mr Amidu has also said only a new government can retrieve the GHS51.2 million fraudulently paid to Mr Woyome.

He has, therefore, called on Ghanaians to vote against President John Mahama and the governing NDC in the December 7 polls.

“I am a senior and foundation member of the NDC, the Governing party. But I am compelled to put Ghana first and to defend the 1992 Constitution by saying that the only way Ghanaians can have the Woyome/Austro-Invest joint loot refunded is to change the Government that created, looted and shared the loot with them during the presidential election this year,” Mr Amidu said in a statement copied to ClassFMonline.com.

“A new government will prosecute Woyome under Article 2(3) and (4) of the 1992 Constitution for High Crime should he delay any further in refunding the unconstitutional loot. The new Government will also enforce the Waterville judgment debt of over Euro 47million loot or prosecute it for High Crime.”



Below is Mr Amidu’s full statement:

GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO RECOVER THE WOYOME/AUSTRO-INVEST LOOT: IT IS ALL JUST ELECTIONEERING CAMPAIGN – BY MARTIN A. B. K. AMIDU

Does the Ghana Government believe us to be so easily fooled that they concoct Woyome part payments of the judgment debt as smoke and mirrors for their election campaign? The people of Ghana should demand to know from Government how its Attorney General can - in enforcing the order of the Supreme Court for Woyome to refund the unconstitutional payments made to Woyome to the Republic of Ghana - accept a cheque of GHC4,000,000.00 drawn by Woyome dated 4th November 2016 in favour of the Economic and Organized Crime Office as part payment of the monies ordered by the Court to be refunded.

The Attorney General accepted the Economic and Organized Crime Office cheque from Woyome and gave a receipt acknowledging the payment “as part payment for the Judgment Debt of GHC51, 283,483.59.” The Access Bank (GH) East Cant cheque number 890081 and the Attorney General’s receipt which were exhibited to the Attorney General’s affidavit sworn by the Attorney General herself on 9th November 2016 as Exhibits “AG 7” and “AG7A” are attached herewith in PDF for the public to judge how any Attorney General, worth the name, can accept a cheque drawn on the Economic and Organized Crime Office which was not party to the action as part payment of the refund ordered by the Court on 29th July 2014 for the Republic.

I say with all the strength at my disposal that a cheque drawn by Woyome in favour of the Economic and Organized Crime Office, which was not a party to the action or the judgment creditor, cannot be a cheque in part payment of the unconstitutional monies ordered by the Court to be refunded to the Republic. The acceptance of the Economic and Organized Crime Office cheque by the Attorney General and the deception of the public by the Attorney General that it is part payment for the refund ordered by the Court brings into question the competence of the Attorney General and the Government in pursuit of the interest of the Republic. The whole scheme appears to have been cooked to defeat my application for leave to examine Woyome orally on oath. In the hurry of the Government and Woyome to defeat my application they could not even cover their tracks with a cheque drawn on the Ministry of Finance or the Accountant-General as custodian of the consolidated fund. The cheque could also have been drawn on the Registrar of the Supreme Court and paid into court for the Republic.

The foregoing is evidence, if evidence be needed, that the Attorney General and the Government are determined to kill the non-refund of the judgment debt as an election issue by cooking up the deceptive cheque and receipt to allow the status quo to continue. They are purposefully deceiving the electorate that efforts are being made to retrieve the unconstitutional loot by Woyome jointly with Austro-Invest, the client of Lithur-Brew and Co, a law firm in which the Attorney General was a partner. The law firm is also the President’s personal lawyer.

I am a senior and foundation member of the NDC, the Governing party. But I am compelled to put Ghana First and to defend the 1992 Constitution by saying that the only way Ghanaians can have the Woyome/Austro-Invest joint loot refunded is to change the Government that created, looted and shared the loot with them during the Presidential elections this year. A new Government will prosecute Woyome under Article 2(3) and (4) of the 1992 Constitution for High Crime should he delay any further in refunding the unconstitutional loot. The new Government will also enforce the Waterville judgment debt of over Euro 47million loot or prosecute it for High Crime.

This is the only way out for Ghanaians to stand up for their Constitutional rights and to retrieve the unconstitutional monies created, looted and shared by this Government with its political party supporters who are now unconstitutional judgment debtors to the Republic. As a loyal NDC member, I will support most of my political party’s parliamentary candidates who have shown honesty and integrity to the Constitution. But I cannot in good conscience and in defence of the Constitution support its Presidential candidate to continue leading the looting of the public purse.

Fellow patriotic citizens, I fought for two long years for justice for the Constitution and for all of us and the Supreme Court eventually vindicated the public’s interest by ordering the refund of the unconstitutional loot to the Republic of Ghana. Unfortunately, the Government as the leading looter has put obstacles in our way in enforcing the orders of the Court. Fellow citizens, help me in the name of the Constitution to retrieve your money that was looted by voting for a new President. Let us protect our Constitutional rights and not be hoodwinked by electioneering ploys. Let us get our GHC51, 283, 483. 59 back.

Defend the 1992 Constitution by voting for a new President on 7th December 2016 to get our money back. God bless Ghana and put Ghana First!

Martin A. B. K. Amidu 15th November 2016